The Lion King: Bleeding Paws
by TheLegendaryBlackDragonKnight
Summary: Retribution is the name for this hyena who is rescued from living a life in the gorge, and taken to her clan to become what his father and mother wanted him to become. As soon as memories of what led Jeyluxhal into being who he is today returns to his mind, he's out for blood and to give some hell to what the pride in the Outlands had done that night. The C.O.L means little to him
1. Fate of a Hyena

The sunlight peaked through the raining clouds of the seasonal times that soaked the lushful savannah lands of the serengeti, bathing down to the burrowing den of an family this raining weather was not the approaching sign that a new evil was born but it was rather the birth of a new member of the family who lived here. This den happened to be roofed with some big to large rocks that helped walled off the den, with some thick but fallen logs on the lower edges up against the walls; inside some light was shed diagonally downwards as the den itself was a little more bigger than how it looked like on the outside. But it is also here that the pup here happened to be an hyena as his mother was curled all around her child, bathing him after the birth that gave her the exertive total of her strength. His father was also present as he never left either of them behind, showing his love to them with a stroke of his barbed tongue right on their faces. Enjoying their lives that they lived out in peace without disturbances from the outside of the Backlands where their den was located, as both of the parents named their son a name like no other: "Tajiuva"

The father who was named Tabari looked down on the newly born hyena pup as the mother who was named Najira stroked him with her barbed tongue, both of the hyenas sacrificed a former life not worth mentioning as they've learned to bury whatever remained of the past in the sands of time. She was curled all around him and while he was asleep after being born he never made a sound upon awakening, not even his deep yawn was too vocal but they had no complaints about it; he didn't know where he was and looked like he was frightened, but as soon as he saw both of his parents he felt this sudden comfort and let himself be bathed. Tabari wanted to raise his son better than how their former king of a meeting ground called Pride Rock, Ahadi did to his two sons which were Mufasa and Taka as he was formally named that before changing to Scar; whatever happened to them was of no concern and no business for him to set paw onto such uncharted territory. He hated their last king for his blatant favoritism over his first born cub as his relationship with his second born is an absolute history of broken promises that strained them together

Nevertheless should the next cub if Mufasa and Sarabi be born then Scar is not the one to attend, neither is he since it is their child that he favors over them. His favoritism is not counted for thanks to Tajiuva, like him being born as the single child; he's just like his father and mother for it's her motivations that come to her with inspiration based on the few words spoken to her in times of despair. A trait that Tabari had learned from his mate, no matter what comes forth in their way to block off whatever opportunities they have here in the Backlands; this family is their own clan and their son will be the greatest among all hyenas who lived in their time above those stars in the darkest night of the moon, like the cycle of the kings of Pride Rock even they have to have their own views on the Circle of Life

A few hours later as Tajiuva had grown enough to walk and pounce like an lion thanks to the two who were not only friendly but also relayed this information to teach him, he followed his father all down to the watering hole they had in the Backlands where he never once nor tried to leave his father's side at all. Upon reaching this place where the other animals who were present did not in the slightest mind their presence, he was told to explore around in the watering hole and wherever as he liked which he immediately followed on his word; a few minutes of looking about in the tall grasses and some fallen short logs where he found an brownbanded bamboo shark. This aquatic creature of the seas walked off away from the interested hyena pup who followed it all the way to the lake, vanishing without a sign from below. Nothing but a ripple was left of the brownbanded shark, although...

Tajiuva had never really seen such a liquid mirror like surface such as this, his eyes narrowed in processing what he saw before him; lowering his head and sniffing the liquid mirror down in front of his body but immediately retracting upon touching the water that splashed all on his black nose. Getting rid of a few sputters caused by the water dripping in his snout, he's a little more cautious this time about whatever mirror surface he touches next; but looking at the lake more closely as the ripples dissipated there was another reflection in the water. A green eyed jackal with pebble grey markings on it's oat tan fur like his, except his fur was a sandcastle and hazlenut tan to peanut brown color; having a tortilla brown underbelly with his curly edge mane being a reflective mahogany to lipstick red color. It's not that often for the witness to see someone being born with such beautiful mane, this made him special in the eyes of his parents. Tajiuva looked at the reflection in the water a little more this time and compared himself to the face in the lake, wondering if he's still sleeping right by Najira and is hallucinating in his dreams; that was until the jackal giggled at his curiosity and took interest in him. Looking up to see the exact animal he saw, smiling as he would ever be

Tajiuva had to back off as he came closer to him, continuing to do just that until he fell behind on the fallen log and made a run for it; with the jackal pup chasing him down. Returning back to each of their respective fathers with, Tabari speaking with the jackal's father about how he refused to let his son suffer the same treatment that Ahadi had given to his second born son. No one should ever let their sons try their damnest to win over their parents, individuality is and should be something that all parents like him should have if they were the ones to have more than one child. As soon as their respective children returned, Tajiuva immediately hid himself underneath Tabari's stomach as he was laying down; the jackal pup looked at where he went and told his father: "He's quite the silent and shy pup isn't he; but isn't he going to tell me about himself anytime soon?" That was when his father began to speak with a voice that sounded commanding, but was calm

"Kuplinka, Tajiuva cannot tell you anything about himself; because he cannot say anything as so much as a single word" His father stated as the reason behind his silence was now known, with Kuplinka looking at him coming from out of his hiding place; emerging before him and looking indifferent just like before which would become his main expression that he would never forget from him. His black lipped mouth half opened, curved fangs bared and does not look too threateningly vicious on the outside; just looking unsure and innocent

This did not stop Kuplinka from at least having fun with him as he jumped and pranced all in a ring around him, pushing him backwards with his giddiness until he tripped over another log; falling into a small pond with surrounding tall grass around him. Kuplinka took full advantage of his predicament he's landed himself into and fools him into thinking he's going to appear where he's looking, all while he chewed on his ear playfully and licked him; continuing on for awhile as Tajiuva was now becoming more aware of his surroundings the more and more this jackal pup had his fun with him. Eventually he caught him just after he licked him right in the eye which would've pissed anyone off, he got up in a pouncing stance before chasing him for teasing him in the pond he fell in. Going all around as Kuplinka managed to get trapped by his father's front paws before easily freeing himself, going all around the watering hole while he watched on; just like him when he was a young lad and turning to face Pride Rock in the back, making him breath one out as some sadness fell upon him at the thought of having to witness such strained relationship between Ahadi and Taka. Kuplinka's father knew what he's got on his mind and talked to him about it:

"Are you still disgusted with how Ahadi's firmness made him break a promise to take both of his sons hunting that morning? It may have been a long time since his rule ended and Mufasa had taken his place, but there's just one question that I wasn't prepared to ask someone such as yourself: Is it the fact that his brother is what Tajiuva might've become had you show favor in your firstborn over the other in the event should you have a second born?" Kuplinka's father asked as Tabari breathed one out

"I'm rather disappointed that's all, I will always have my reasons to not be proud towards the rulership of our former king. If he was to have a brother than I know he will treat him better, he will give him control over the upper and lower hunting grounds; the exception is that he will be greater since from the look of his eyes I can see him wanting to teach him how to be better than the fallen former leader of the Lion Guard. Not baring to have him go down such an path he can't follow in the storms that come here to soak the serengeti every now to then" Tabari spoke softly as Kuplinka's father looked up at the mention of the Lion Guard

"They've not been around since Ahadi's negative influence led his second born that he loved less than Scar's older brother to become like this. I remember the story from when I was just a teen to late adult, staging a coup like this and being met with resistance is an answer that he wouldn't take; it cost him that roar of his. But I have to say I'm glad the circle isn't broken, at least not until his mate tries to take over and rule along side him that is..." Tabari snarled at that thought as he would not want to be involved in her matters, he has no interest in being apart of an army led by the fallen brother of their current king; neither does his son as he's got more important matters on his mind

"Tell that to my former comrades in paws Banagi and Baasho who were exiled to the desert, I haven't seen them for awhile and by this point they're dead from exhaustion; if they're alive then I'll kill them both for the exact same reason: I was the one who was betrayed by them as they're the ones who wanted me to take the throne for myself, and I'm the one who left the both of them under him for dead. I never regretted one thing about it and like before him I was born into a lone family who joined a clan, but left after being very disappointed in their actions; what I did was justified and I came to realize that I'm way more ruthless than what I once knew about myself" Tabari looked down on his body where the two of his paws were as he came to recollect on his past, remembering the reasons for why he left and why he never wanted to be apart of another clan that would go against the circle itself; although that's not the case for him as it's more about their hatred towards lions when he just doesn't really give a damn about what they do to him. All he's just doing is leaving their issues to them

"Hey, you're thinking too much about all of this; what matters the most about your family is what you'll do to keep them all out of the hands of anyone who tries to start a fight between the two of you. Speaking of which it looks like you best be on your way back home, as I can see in your eyes" Kuplinka's father glided his paw against Tabari's back as he nodded

"I understand and if it's a father who's loyal to himself when it comes to a son I love, then it's what'd I be. Najira is awaiting us back home at our burrow den, it never matters if Tajiuva is a clan of one like me because he's not a very social lad; autism is something that dare he says is what makes him human like us" Tabari understood as his son climbed onto his back, ready to leave and he couldn't help but chuckle; eager to go back home to his burrow den where his mother will be, just like his old man

As they bid each other a farewell and returned home to their respective homes here of the Backlands, Taijuva passed out as soon as he was back in his mother's paws; with both of his parents nuzzling at each other's company. The rest of the day was spent in the usual with a lone life like this, having no need for a clan as Tabari was the hunter and Najira was always dedicated to her son; although when it came to circumstances he'd offered to help take her place and substitute for their son. Whether he came to be playing by himself thanks to the makeshift toys that were built from scraps, painting on the walls for added atmosphere or asleep where he was always close to either parents; Taijuva became ever so open to new opportunities to spend the most time with the two of them. Although everyone looked as well as appear not to mind their presence and not have such disrespect towards the family, there was at least a pride of exiled lions who did not share this view; specifically the pride whom was led by no other than Baridi. Mufasa had every right to exile him out of here and towards the Outlands for there was no true refuge from such land, as it's termites were less kind than he was

Baridi was a slight-brawn built Pridelander looking lion of the Outlands who had all of the common traits such as dark medium brown eye shades and bright fire orange eyes with an threatening ruby to berry red eyes that looked luminous. His fur was a dark wood and coffee brown color featuring some peanut tan markings resembling healed wounds from his fights, with the agility to dodge attacks and strength to tear down an bigger predator who had their greater numbers as well as advantages over him; he was an absolutely spiteful lion who had no concern about the consequences as he believed that once he takes out the main threat, it's all in the past from there on out. Finally, when it came to traitors of animals of their own kind he considered Tabari to be the most traitorous all because he's not loyal to the clan he once lived and hunted together with; so he's going to be doing the hyenas a favor by making what he holds closest to him his target, just so he can tell him to think twice before leaving his clan for dead in the dust

* * *

The following weeks were uneventful as Tajiuva made new friendships with Kuplinka's old ones like Mwindaji who was a bat and Zuberi who was a crocodile, as well as new ones such as Fahari who was a genet and Luthando who was a monitor lizard. Together he led his group of friends into standing up for themselves and gaining independence, for whenever they got into trouble with bullies he clearly couldn't give anymore less of a damn about their threats if they could actually follow up on them to begin with. Kuplinka helped explain his best friend's silence and told them that he was a mute and thus could not talk, all of them showed concern but Tajiuva brushed their worries off like it was no deal to make; he's not willing to talk at all nor try due to his speech disorder or so what they thought. If he ain't talking then there ain't no reason to feel concerned because it's apart of him, that's what makes him feel special and for as long as he was here with them nothing can tear the group of friends apart. He did join in on his father's huntings and learned more than a few lessons from him he took to heart, but whenever he was not playing with his friends or with his father nor even playing at his burrow den; this pup was with his mother as he explored everything with her that he needs to know about the Backlands, loving every second of it. At the end of the day he was asleep fast with the tales of his father being in his dreams and tales of his mother alongside them

If there was a shooting star in the night sky then the wish that he would make even in his silence, is to forever be with his parents in this life whom as of this point wanted nothing changed; but that's what all pups hoped for their lives isn't it? The one thing that could as well as mature in the future was themselves, as Tajiuva's life was about to be altered from this point onwards as long as he could've remembered before fate had interfered; all just to save him from the hell that's about to haunt him until he returned to his home in the future, for now this is what lied in the awakening of what he'll become on his path to the retribution he deserved as it would become his new name

The sunset in the Backlands behind the well known and lushful Pride Lands was a dark merlot to mahogany, wine, garnet, lipstick, ruby and snagria red color for the sky; while the rays of the sun happened to be a dark clay to bronze and fiery orange, the sky on the other hand is shrouded in a mostly overcast of coffee to mocha and umber brown clouds. Meanwhile, the very sun that was a butterscotch gold to fire and medallion to pineapple yellow had begun to set below the serengeti; as approaching steps of paws had led a pride of Outlanders posing as false Pridelanders led by Baridi entered their territory, they were coming on behalf of their king or so the others thought to believe from them. They've been told that Tabari had a son and if he does then he will be the last enemy that shall be destroyed by him, he was greatly respected for being a warrior and a hyena who was more than what his clan had become; an shame that he had left his former lads for dead in the dust all to pursue a life he had dreamed better of, what he's doing is going to be a favor by ending his dream here to make him realize what it means to think about deserting a clan he was not apart of

Tajiuva's father was out as of now and Najira took this time to dedicate herself to him as he is her's to take care of and without a shadow of an doubt, he took this time to paint his family as well as his friends as well as play throughout the entire day; even now as the sun began to go down he was ready to get some sleep thanks to the fun that although was exertive, was all in the least worth the loss of energy. Her barbed tongue stroked alongside his back as he purred all the way through, feeling ever so ticklish whenever she did it on his sensitive spinal area; it was almost feeling like he was becoming aroused as he felt his claws extend out, but perhaps that's because he hasn't really stretched out too much. Hell nibbling right on his very terribly sensitive spots had him shaking and it was really pushing him off the edge of attempting not to move around too much. Suddenly, she perked up and looked out to the distance; finding a pride of Outlanders approaching the burrow den

Tabari was not here to defend them but wherever he was out there, he knows the risks and the sacrifices that comes with not being able to return back home in time; no matter where he is that did not mean she would curse him for being absent of all days like this. She didn't want to die because of those lions who were out for her mate's blood and she loved living out the rest of her days, but she loved Tabari and Tajiuva more. Frightened but brave to an extensive limit she took her son into the deepest and darkest shadows of their burrow den, hiding him underneath a medium sized rock with a large and thick rock that acts as Tajiuva's living quarters for whenever he felt tired; though he usually slept with his father and mother. Seeing the fearful expression on his face that looked as though he's seen his ghost that acted as his shadow, Najira wrapped around him as closely as she could as he looked into her face; it had come to his point where she had to tell him these words:

"Tajiuva, listen to what I say as I may never again live to prowl among the Pride Lands with a son like you: always be brave out in the face of the lions who have wronged you while those who have not will be left to live by your paws. If your father lives to when you become what we have both dreamed of since we first began this family of yours and yours alone, find him and assure to him that you live. You must be forever a hunter like him and know that I will in no time and not ever let you be taken down like I am, you must know that I live inside of you as does your father. When the time comes for you to confront our attackers, let them feel the anger and sorrow you've felt from this day; everything is all up to you now from this point on and forwards until the end comes from the call of your ever so fierceful instincts, that you hold from the father you come to know as Tabari: the greatest hyena who ever prowled and lived in the Backlands. Farewell Tajiuva, my son as your fate will guide you to retribution..."

Thus with her final words she left the son to continue hiding in the spot where he witnessed her exit the burrow den, confronting the pride of Outlanders as she stood fiercely in front of her home while the horrified Tajiuva was left to witness the massacre that was going from a mere confrontation to an all-out untold attack on the woman that he was close to. Najira as she was ready to abandon everything she lived on struck first as she swiped her claws across one of the Outlander lion's face, while biting down on Baridi's snout that began to bleed and threw down a third one to the ground; she was doing very well against their attackers but an leader like Baridi had no tolerance for losing. So with every ounce of strength he had in his body, along with using his last resorts he started to attack Najira head on while the others aided in helping out their leader

Tajiuva could not take his eyes off the confrontation that waged on outside and he couldn't let himself leave out of fear that these lions would target him as well, he didn't understand anything about their motives for targeting him out of all hyenas here in the Backlands and a question asking why them rose in his mind. Najira was left bleeding and hoarsely breathing out as Baridi and the others stalked toward her, hellishly setting their sights on her as she's put up more than a fight than the rest of his opponents; but this ends here right here, right now today in the afternoon that would become the night. Without warning they all leaped towards her, they viciously and gruesomely began to rip her into pieces as they took chunks of bites out of her flesh while also mauling her to where her bones began to reveal and stab outwards from her body; literally ripping her deceased corpse into oblivion until she was but a loaded mass of blood, bones and in the worst case possible a victim of being eaten alive as Baridi made the choice of tormenting Tabari further by feasting upon her dead body

However once they were half-way through feasting, Baridi picked up the scent of Tabari and looked around; there's no going back on what they just did by spilling her blood in front of a home that he lived in. He could give less of a damn about if there was any witnesses and left the burrow then as soon as possible, they can't risk letting Tabari chase them relentlessly on their tails to death; he's not retreating but he's returning back to the Outlands as they've got what they came here for, now's the time to go back and get some rest. Like before he had no concern on the consequences of his actions because it was deserving for a traitor to a clan like he used to prowl with, until he rejected their hospitality and left them for dead. While there was some fear coming from his pride there was none coming from him, they'll look for Tabari in the meantime but for now it looked like the truth about him having a son was just a myth; having children only made him lose whatever amount of respect he had gathered from the ways he'd learned from his father, he hated having children which is the reason he hated his newborn son if he had one that is

Tajiuva left the burrow den and approached the fallen remains of his mother, collapsing onto his knees and looking up without saying an single word; his face was splashed with her blood and so was his paws. He knew he could no longer live this live he loved and even in death, his memory and his visions would not leave him nor his mind; for how could he forget those evil Outlanders spilling the blood of his beloved mother? It was all just a torturous illusion that is orchestrated by the Pridelanders, they're the ones who did this and he would make sure that they're the ones who pay for his fallen mother. Realizing that Baridi was his true nemesis that once shown respect for his father, now the one who had taken everything away from him but his lust for retribution for his fallen one; he looked down on his paws and held them close to his face as they dripped down into the medium formed puddle. He was horrified and he had nowhere to go now, he can't stay here any longer and left the Backlands by running as fast as he could; not even getting the chance to bid his farewells with his friends who eventually in moments after found his bloody pawprints leading out of the land, leaving them devastated at his departure. The young hyena pup sought out shelter in the form of the Mekundu Cliffs, specifically the walls as he hid himself in the crack to rest for the rest of the night; it's been a long one in that matter and looks like he'll have to sleep alone from this point on

Eventually he did manage to find a home in the form of the Wildebeest Valley which was the gorge that unfortunately would become the site of Mufasa's doom at the paws of Scar, using his skills that he was taught by his father he had to survive and hunt for himself; since he has no siblings to care for he had nothing to share. This would go on for at least six despair filled days until the final month where the future king and heir to Pride Rock, Simba would be born but for now it was just him and no one else. Whenever the wildebeast roamed the area, he's brutal and merciless against them; killing them off and feasting heavily on their bodies, but he was not as ravenous as some believed him to be from the looks of it all. Whenever he felt his hunger was low as it gotten, he resorted to having some of the kill until there was nothing left for him to eat; even if wasn't as fresh as it once was he would still eat it

The tales of his father always remained with him as they were the ones to inspire him to be a warrior like him, he knows what he wanted when he was young and even in times when he's fearful; he wasn't going down alone if there was a point when he felt like he was going to die when it was clear that he would live. For every point he knew of the risks that would come in doing something that would cost the destruction of other's lives, he remained loyal to doing what had to be done by him and him alone; but also to himself because he wasn't as vicious as the lions claimed him to be. How they met was during a time when he happened to leave in order to take care of a threat, it was neither their first night nor their first date; it was their first battle and interaction when they fought together. Afterwards they grew together and in the process shared the exact same thing, how neither of their clan leaders would release the both of them from their torture

It seemed the two of them hated being apart of their respective clans and when she was left for dead as exile, she joined him before eventually leaving his altogether; a cruel ironic twist on them. Now it looks like karma's come to punish him in spite of doing no wrong to either of them, he had to take his father's sentence in place of him; nevertheless he still looked up to him like his role model; loyalty that wouldn't fade no matter how much he changed here in a life he lived

* * *

Finally as it would seem on the seventh day without anyone to take care of him, fate would interfere in his matters once more as the hyena pup walked through the gorge; scavenging his hunt for today and returning back to his split ravine with a roof on top to help hide him from the eyes of the other animals. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of a chase going on from out in the gorge and investigated to see what was happening; this is what transpired:

From the beginning of the site where Mufasa's doom would not take place until later on, the wildebeest who had caught a terrible illness was running for it's life away from the trio of it's predators. These happened to be none other than Shenzi, Banzai and Ed; former having a trio of bangs for her mane, second being hot tempered and the latter always laughing at times of both the good and the bad. Remember that now because someone's not going to know how to tell who is who. Shenzi ran in front of the two with Banzai on her right and Ed on her left, their stomachs are feeling a little hollow as of today but why should they complain? Banzai sure does alot since he's practically greedy without a shadow of an doubt, but he's also the one who suffers the most as he's at the ass of all jokes that were to be made by them; take good or bad either way, he's going to get hurt thanks to the worst luck he's ever had. Ed on the other hand has not much to say except it seemed as though everything was a joke to this little guy, to Scar it seemed as he's become even stupider in the present time over the years; that's not to say that he knows the score and the other two never treat him as a real idiot like that, no matter the fights and skrimishes between him and Banzai

Shenzi looked up ahead and determined that their entree was attempting to lead them into a few traps, not if Banzai and Ed flank her from different sides as they did just that; they got the upperhand over the wildebeest and that flu of it's own is going to be it's downfall. As they as well as their chase continued down in the gorge, the young pup witnessed it all as she looked on to the matriarch of the clan; although he hid himself back into his makeshift home out of a blink of her sight thinking that she spotted him, which she did not thankfully. Their chase was coming to a end right here as they reached the border where all of the others grazed on top, a moment of catching the scent of someone nearby made her stop in her tracks; it belonged to one of her own kind but it was neither of her comrades in paws, looking back she saw only a rock fly out from a wall onto the ground. Nothing suspicious there, but she sensed someone's close-by and it's not one of her own clan; nevertheless she closed in onto the wildebeest who wanted mercy but this victim clearly is not aware that her name meant barbarous, savage and uncouth

With a leap into the air and an vicious mauling from her claws, she took the life of their meal and now they can be properly served; although they don't want to go hungry again when they return to the Elephant Graveyard so why not bring the rest back to their home? It's not too far from the gorge and it's just a mile away. As soon as Banzai and Ed caught up to their kill, they all dug in together but Shenzi could not stop feeling that something was not right here; that's when she caught a glimpse of what looked like an shadow of one of her own leaving into the crack. Although it might've been a dark and cloudy day, the sunlight still peaked through and helped light the path. She left her two comrades and began walking down the path, seeing who was that shadow back there; that was until another rock was tumbling out of the crack in the wall that happened to be an ravine that's big enough for her to make her way through, an idea that gave her the reason to investigate

She peaked inside and found the young pup hiding from her especially as she came towards him, cowering under her stature as she muttered under her breath: "A son, who forced him to scavenge on his own?" That was a question that had her wondering as she hated those who abandoned their children, whoever it was that did this to him might as well take a hike since they're not worthy to raise him. She looked back to her comerades and gave them the order to bring the rest of their entree back to the graveyard, not telling them the reason but to do so without question; which they complied as they're not the ones to go against orders from her, so while they're stalled by bringing the remains of the wildebeest back to their home she turned to face the young pup

"You better come with me, it'll take more than feeding off what you've been hunting to get your strength back until you blow up into pieces that is" Shenzi told him and joked a bit, as Tajiuva stepped out from the shadows and followed her out of the crack in the wall; never making a sound as he always stayed close to her side as if she was his former mother, who will not be swept under the grass just to be forgotten about. At this point was when she asked some questions about him

"You have a name? It's only really something Ed would forget" Shenzi teased and asked the young pup, who did not respond but remained silent out of not wanting to inadvertently say something offensive to piss her off. "You feeling alright because you're acting like you've just seen a ghost or something even worse" No response, might as well ask again a few more just to be sure that he's not willing to talk about anything

Throughout their walk she asked him about where he lived, what happened and why he's not willing to speak about anything; all of them met with no response as she understood why he's not talking before focusing on ahead. She's never really met one of her own kind who never says a word and yet it makes all the more unique and horrifying to his prey, since they'll think he's a cold blooded hunter who doesn't take no for an answer; she could use him to be one of her own as apart of her clan she leads thought it doesn't look like he has anything against the lions of course

For whatever she knows they could've been the ones who did this to him and even then, she has her standards as does her comrades but stooping to killing his parents to leave him to scavenging alone by himself is just a low blow right there; even if she's going and willing to do the same out of aiding Scar in his plans to become king as soon as possible. She may sound hypocritical but that's not the case when it comes to her kind, and she will kill any of them if they're the ones responsible as it just made her lose her appetite; her clan knows no fear than if something this low is enough to make her lose the will to eat something

Tajiuva knew he could no longer go under his former name and from this point he was left to be nothing more than a nameless pup, Shenzi knew neither his name nor the reason behind his state of being dirty; but what what she did know what that he was apart of her clan now and she's going to make him into what she can see him become as the months go by. But a few questions she was not prepared to ask had risen: Was Scar going to be tolerant of this new presence? The now nameless pup didn't seem to have given a damn, he treats of them like tools to begin with so why not?

* * *

Upon returning to the Elephant Graveyard, the young pup broke off from Shenzi's side before hiding himself from her other two comrades; hoping to keep his presence unknown to others for as long as he could while the rest of trio continued to have the rest of the wildebeest they chased down the gorge. Using his father's prowling and stalking skills to sneak on by with the shadows, soft treading and low stature combined with his silent speech disorder; or perhaps it wasn't one to start with but it's just the fact that he never actually tried to talk before, and he wasn't comfortable in doing so as he's not the social type to make friends who liked to talk with him. For awhile he snuck behind all three of their backs nevermind if Ed took notice that someone was nearby, trying to tell Shenzi that they're being watched; but he would soon be proven right when this happened next

The nameless pup commando stalked on the ground silently to the next rock and walked over to the other slowly underneath a overhang until Banzai looked up, spotting him as both eyes met each other; with the former having an look of trying to process what's happening with a narrowed eye expression, and the latter having that signature look on his face. Both of them remained silent along with the other two for an few short moments before he broke the ice: "Kid, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Banzai asked in a irritated tone, having gotten no response from him in the meantime as he returned to hiding behind the rock

Shenzi calmly approached him from behind by copying his sneaking and prowling skills where she lowered her head, picking him up with her fangs as the nameless pup shuddered because that was cold and ticklish; bringing him over to her comrades as she placed him down, but the pup scrambled about and hid behind his adoptive mother's back. She had the answer for this pup's presence in the Elephant Graveyard and so she did just that when Banzai asked her this:

"Where'd he come from and what the hell's going on here?" He sounded irritated as he's not a babysitting type if this pup's parents are out and they're entrusted with caring for this rude bastard, especially for the fact that he's not going to talk no matter what he offers in return

"I found him in the wildebeest valley hiding from us, apparently he's been making his living there for hell if I know. He ain't got no parents around so why not take the opportunity, there aren't that many silent hyenas in the clan to begin with; he could 'least use someone to look up to while he's at it. Just think of him if we raised him like one of our own" Shenzi explained as although this motherly side towards a pup like him was something that wasn't unlike her, she was still the same old leader of the trio that they knew; ripping a piece of the wildebeest before giving it to him. Banzai was clearly not happy about this and stated what he thought about the situation

"I ain't taking him in for a warm welcome from me, he can go and find a new father for all I give a damn about because he's no son of mine; I ain't taking back what I said to his face and neither am I going to apologize because I meant what I said to him. There's nothing that says I can't reject him the second he's brought into the clan, and no thanks to him I've completely lost every bit of my appetite. Ed, what do you think about this?" Banzai asked him for his response

Being the simpleton of a hyena they all know and grown to love as apart of them, Ed simply laughed with few snorts here and there; seems like he's lost on what to do. Banzai snarled and stated

"I will never be his father but that doesn't mean he's not staying with you, I'm out of here" He completely left the two alone as Shenzi looked down on his face, which told her that he can live with not having one

"Nevermind what he says, it's like him to not take responsibility. As for your name though, it's too easy to decide. Just make yourself at home and be sure to bring back any leftovers for us, those lions are trying to starve us to death; you'll know where I'll be Jeyluxhal (JAY-LUUSH-SCHOLL), and I chose that name because who gives a damn if it's not a real name. We'll just say it means something special like punishment and recompense, yeah like that. Anyways you'll know where I'll be if you need me for someone young like you and all that..." Shenzi soon left followed by Ed as he was left to do what his adoptive mother wanted him to do which was to make himself home here in the Elephant Graveyard

As the nameless pup did what he was asked and made himself here at his new home with Shenzi's Clan in the Elephant Graveyard, the now newly named Jeyluxhal climbed above a wall back to the overhang and down to rest his uneasy mind as though he would miss what those he loved and was close to; he knew he still lived and should he and Baridi cross each other's paths again then they will know what he felt that day they came to rip his mother gruesomely apart limb from limb. He's just following what Najira wanted from him and if Tabari did indeed live unlike her, he would find him as soon as possible but as the months would go by; the will of Najira and his memories of what happened would become how he would call suppressed overtime

For now until then he would live out his life with them as he would grow close to one, ignite a rivalry with another and become friends with the other. It should be no problem to guess in the process which of the relationships would be with the trio, this is what he has left and one last hope in being taught the ways of how to live out whatever he wishes to live. Nevertheless, he would be burdened by his memories in the form of his dreams as he slept through the lonesome nights

The beginning of Jeyluxhal's time for becoming the hyena they wanted him to become begins with the rise of an new prince months later...


	2. Life of Jeyluxhal

(A/N: Major interaction between Shenzi and Jeyluxhal is involved in this chapter as she's a lot more motherly towards him, but that's because think back to the song Take Me to Church by Hozier which tells the tale of worshiping your woman. This is what Jeyluxhal is doing to her right about now until one conversation that leads to something worse makes him into whom he is following this chapter. He feels like he has to repay her for rescuing him and in return for that he can stay here in the clan, but to Shenzi that's not exactly what she asks of him to do. How I portray her like this is simple: a matriarch who's focused on strengthening her clan for all males and Jeyluxhal is no different, he's willing to give her whatever she needs from him. That's all really and of course she acts like a mother figure to him when the time calls for it like the events that follow. Enjoy)

In the Elephant Graveyard where the hyena trio was walking about, Banzai who refused to be called a father to the young pup back then had been finding various ways to assure he's going to not drive himself to insanity from hunger: "Where's Jeyluxhal with that antelope dammit? He's been gone too long and at least Scar doesn't take his sweet time bringing us something we can eat for once!" He's on his final nerve right about now but Shenzi simply told him to shut up

"That's if we could kill the damn cub if his father wasn't around, he'll be coming back anytime now so shut it!" Shenzi told him off, referring to Scar as although he would be disappointed; at least they're his pals so he's merciful to them

"If he ain't back by the time the sun goes down then that antelope's not the only the thing I'll be eating tonight, you with me on this Ed?" Banzai declared and asked as Ed causally replied like always through laughing out of insanity, losing his mind from the hunger that'll drive him even more mad than he was

"Cannibal..." Shenzi muttered under her breath, that madness is going to kill him soon

As soon as the sound of pawsteps were heard approaching with the sound of a body dragging along they all looked up to see Jeyluxhal return, exerted but refusing to rest until he brought the antelope over to them; he had grown quite well in spite of living under Shenzi's lead and lifestyle of his adopted mother, looking more refined as well just like how his father looked when he was a young hyena back then. He left the antelope at Shenzi's hind paws as she was the one who rescued him from living out a life he wasn't supposed to live in, and he couldn't risk going back there as he wanted to stay with them; so the best way to do that was to make sure that she was as pleased with him as long as he could do it for her

"Now why don't I believe you've actually did it? Get over here and take the antelope with you, my stomach's hollow enough already as it is!" Banzai yelled at him as Ed did it for him thanks to Shenzi stopping him from following on his word, wiping a bit of blood from his lower lip before running over to join the others in indulging themselves in the food

Jeyluxhal was a well to half-brawn built hyena like his father whose coat of fur was a fawn to sand and biscotti tan, while his underbelly was a dark wood to coffee and tortilla brown. Not to mention his longer mane that was still curly edged was now a black color like the rest, but kept that mahogany to lipstick red tint that could be seen in the sunlight and it's rays; his eye marks were still an rounded edge triangle while his actual eyes were a brown color, having a yellow sclera like all hyenas have that was an trombone gold tint. His curly edged ears which both went off to the sides had two fiercely curved cobra fangs acting as earrings on the top to bottom, having dried blood with clear triangular shaped cuts that went slightly halfway down on both of his ears; while his snout had a few growing whisker spots like a wolf's and having a slightly bigger ebony black nose that was also one of his traits. His tail was mostly straight and had a few curved tips like an fleur-de-lis all the way down to the straight tip, having his paws and hind paws be a little thicker than normally as they're all dipped in black like the others in the process; though he had an few slicked and spiked up parts everywhere on his body so it's no wonder why he looks like his father. Taking after his adopted mother he had longer bangs on top of his head while having five to eight long to lightly curved tipped bangs, on the sides of his face with two on the right side of his eye and the rest on the left side. His ebony black spots were big and abundant but also had quite a history of dried bleeding scars to bitemarks, all resulting from his rivalry towards Banzai and the fights they get into. Finally, he carried on his infamous expression while his tongue was seen hanging out in front every now and then lightly; never talking but letting his actions do the talking for him, but it's clear that he's very cold blooded and barbarous behind that face of his thanks to Shenzi's influence to him as he slicked his mane back into it's smooth backwards combed position behind his bangs as that antelope was hell on his paws which also showed some dried blood on them. Oh and inside his ears were ribbed like a bat's just like his father Tabari since it was just a trait of theirs

"It's about time you returned because even Scar's quicker than you when it comes to hunting food as simple like this, so thanks for feeding us like you've been doing ever since you came here to the clan; now get out" Banzai's irritatingly thanked him but also insulted about him being slower than a lion

"Banzai over here threatened to eat you if you weren't back here by sunset" Shenzi told him as Jeyluxhal at least smiled and silently chuckled, giving him a expression that asked him if he was getting a little edgy there today like always and referring him to fella

This did not sit well with Banzai as he looked up and swallowed a little bit of antelope meat before he grabbed him by the back, not only smacking his snout but also punching him in the gut hard as Jeyluxhal collapsed to the ground; coughing as if he had just smoked some plants and tobacco substances combined which would have anyone wheezing, as Banzai walked and strafed around him. "How you'd like that you piece of horse dung, does that give you any idea how freaking on-the-edge I am?!" Banzai yelled at him as Jeyluxhal hung himself above the ground with both of his front and hind paws supporting him

"Hey, take it easy there Ed!" Banzai and Jeyluxhal looked over to see Shenzi stopping Ed from biting into a chunk of meat that he would obviously choke on, having spotted it by the time he was mentally asking if he was getting a little edgy like a fella before returning to yell at him again

"Get up, punk!" Jeyluxhal struggled to stand up from lifting his own body using his paws which were slipping on the ground, he managed to retain balance in standing up but was hunched over as he continued: "You paying attention? Good then listen to me: mute or not, you will never crack a joke at me again; you understand?!" He angrily shouted as Jeyluxhal was hoarsely breathing as he looked angrily at him, with a face that told him to calm the hell down otherwise the fire department's going to come and put him out; giving out a defiant grunt before closing his eyes

As he still breathed out from being punched in the gut hard by Banzai, Jeyluxhal's mouth had leaked some slobber down to the ground and left the area; not seeing his adopted mother's look of confusion and concern on her face directed towards his leaving self back to his spot where he always slept after hunting. It was usual for Jeyluxhal to do such thing but it looks like he's still got that misconception in his head and thinking he'll be chased out if he's not back with something he worked hard and risked his life to hunt out of wanting to feed the trio, mostly her since he's the only one who ever interacts the closest to her out of all of the three. She decided that she's going to have a little word with him later on about this

For Jeyluxhal this was the life as he's got his heated rivalry with Banzai and the only friend he had was Ed for as stupid as he can be, a simpleton like him can't help but agree with what's on his mind. He returned to his resting spot as he was still coughing like he got tuberculosis and lied down on the ground, he was sweating and drained from his exertion; all he could do now was sleep as nevermind how much he allowed his slobber to leak out around him, he's not in the slightest hungry like usual. Every animal he's hunted down from his claws and fangs were all given to the hyena trio as he didn't want his adopted mother to chase him out, acting like a servant to her who felt concerned whenever she got hurt and whenever she was threatened; a moment did not pass by at all when he would come to her side, either to stroke her wound or appear menacing in front of whoever threatened her right directly in her face. He's just doing what he'll do for assuring her happiness, worshiping a woman like her and loyalty to the end

To the other animals along with the hyenas in Shenzi's Clan this was thought and believed to be a misconception that he was her servant, and therefore hunted as well as gave her quite a few spoiled luxuries that no other one of them would give her just so he wouldn't be chased out and left to go back into scavenging on his own; however that is not the case as she didn't ask for him to treat himself like a servant. They're all on the same side right here and there's no true reason for Jeyluxhal to starve himself out of wanting to feed the trio so he's not out of the clan, that's something that must be put to a end right here and right now as Jeyluxhal doesn't look skeletal or anorexic; but that's because he takes little bites from his hunt every now and then to retain his strength as well as his growth so there's that. Nevertheless, he's grown well in spite of this handicap he's put on himself; out of not wanting to be judged by the other animals by being called a selfish, prideful as well as mindless to uncivilized poacher of the Pride Lands. He's done them no wrong and that's not a excuse to judge him like all the others, especially another of his own kind who was actually friendly as well as good-hearted; the same can't be said for him thanks to being a silent killer and all that jazz

With Jeyluxhal in spite of also being a cold blooded hyena with no words to come from out of his mouth being autistic, he had an learning disability which was shown at his resting spot; an few tablets of stone with a large one acting like a magnetic board for letters and numbers for him to place on, a few books to educate him and more. Flashcards on fallen leaves with paint for him to color in a flat piece of stone along with sculptures for him to fill in, a pad for him to write whatever was on his mind and a board with a white stone drawing cylinder for drawing; it was practically everything that told others that he had no one to look up to for teaching him what he didn't know by then. Educating himself every morning until he passed out when he's not hunting for the main trio, having nothing but the same toys that were forged from various materials like sticks to mud and weed along with cubed rocks; Shenzi knew about this as well as the fact that this was just a deceptive ruse. He was not stupid enough to not know that he's creating the image of a man whose lost someone he can't be with physically anymore, only in his dreams will he know his mother that throughout the time; he's left his previous life to be kept in the vault of his mind

A few days passed since then as Jeyluxhal returned back to his home as he brought the body of an helpless lion juvenile after quite the battle that was worth the bleeding from his scars, giving the remains over to the main trio before leaving; Shenzi looked him in the eyes as it's not like him to appear this damn angered and moody after returning back from his hunts, he picked a good but risky prey to bring back to them and even then he's just turning his back so they could eat in peace. Something that didn't sit well with her: "You went out of your way to actually kill an juvenile lion and bring it here for us to eat, and you're not joining in on that risk worth taking? At least eat a little more than usual because you've put a lot of effort in doing that" Shenzi pointed out as Banzai tore off a piece of the remains before calling him out on his impressive feat

"You're not making it easy for me to say I'm impressed with you Jeyluxhal, if I witnessed you killing an real adult for a challenge. I'm not impressed even if you do just that, but then again I'm a tough audience towards mute hyenas like you" Jeyluxhal shot out a bloody booger from his nose onto a piece of meat that Banzai was going to chew off, just as he concluded on why he ain't big on having a mute in the clan; however he was gone by that time

Banzai took a huge bite out of the juvenile lion because since when exactly was the last time they ate an animal like this? He failed to take caution of the fact that Jeyluxhal just poisoned him by spiking his food with a bloody booger that he shot out from his nose, so once he ate it the other two were laughing without concern; just as he began coughing and gagging after he ate the piece of meat from the remains. In fact this actually made him throw up which had Ed laughing and bursting out even worse than before, the hot tempered hyena was mad and in a fraction of an second he leaped towards to claw and bite him until he would shut the hell up; of course Shenzi stopped him at the last second before too much blood was drawn out of Ed, though that didn't stop him biting on his leg until he realized a little too late. It's normal for him since he did get stupider over the years

Banzai was slobbering with a death threat looming in his head and the next time he tries that he'll shove it down his throat, see how he likes it when he does that to him. In the meantime Shenzi followed her adopted son to an secluded area in the Elephant Graveyard that was one of the locations in his territory he claimed as his own. It was apart of his resting spot and with it being a walled off overhang bluff with two big holes in the corners of the wall that released some sunlight into the barren ledge, there was a murky pond along with a ribcage and a spine for him to surf off like an tree branch in the jungles of Africa; eventually finding him asleep in the bluffs by the time she found him and drooling on the ground already, it's not unusual for him to be doing that but it sure does dry up fast from his mouth with all these geyser vents spewing out

She approached his unconscious body and stopped when he heard him twitch slightly, he did indeed say something but it was too soft and silent for her to hear; though she could clear it out that he was aware of her presence by calling her his mother. Not taking any chances she lowered her head down to him and told him to meet her by the lake, she has a lesson to tell him about; one that'll clear his mind about taking orders from others but also influence him into becoming independent

The next thing that happened was Jeyluxhal was laying down by the lake with the face that told it all as he's just drowsy, though to those who thought otherwise believed he was more or less ashamed of something; looking humiliated in front of someone he wanted to appear more to their taste. That was when Shenzi silently approached his side and sat down near his body, not looking up to face his adopted mother who went to tell him what she's about to tell him; with a deep breath about what she had to say before she was prepared to tell him this: "You think that by starving yourself would keep me from chasing you out of the clan? A fool would've done the same if only it was that simple, they'd leave by the time they're adults even without me telling them to get lost. You on the other hand is a different story"

Jeyluxhal only looked down on the dried drool crusted ground as that always happened to a hyena like him, breathing out as he didn't look he's in no mood to listen to what anyone says to him. Though he was listening that's for sure since it's his mother talking, but it was about the expression on his face that told everyone that he longed for something that he can't put his mind on it; something that he hasn't thought about for a long time ago. Shenzi looked at his face and told him this

"I didn't ask for you to treat yourself like a servant to me, the three of us have four paws that aren't broken; but the three of us haven't forgotten how to hunt for ourselves. So there's no excuse in hell for you to treat yourself like our servant where at any given time the animals you put before yourself will start to take advantage of you for granted, especially myself with the others; even that's going too far for my standards, at least eat something to keep your strength up. Wherever you came from I'm sure your father and mother taught you that" She expressed her disappointment in him without sounding a little angry with him, but had she known about the incident that came awhile back she would've known that he's forgotten everything about what led him to this point in time

Jeyluxhal placed both of his paws down on his head as if it was hurting him, he didn't know his mother nor father. Had it been that long since she was ripped to pieces violently by the claws of that Outlander who calls himself Baridi, that long since he was kept hidden under the shadows while she sacrificed herself to save him? His memory was faint but to him it's what mattered the least to him. Shenzi could see it in his eyes that he had no knowledge about either his father or his mother, but then it came to her the reason why she took pity upon the hyena that was her adopted son

"The reason I took you in that day was-... actually, I don't even know why; but there was just something in my mind that told me you wanted revenge, something that told me you wanted to hunt whoever has wronged you and that's something I'm not stopping you from doing. If it was any lion out there who's done nothing but call us a bunch of slobbering poachers, what needs to be done is for you to decide. Just understand this one thing that I'm going to tell you should you leave one day" She couldn't exactly explain why she took him in but there is at least one thing that she can tell him if he chooses to leave by himself

Now this was one thing that had Jeyluxhal slowly perk up from his laying position as he got up and listened closely, while his adopted mother got down to his side and spoke into his left ear; telling him what every mother would say for their children if they treated themselves like this:

"Don't treat yourself like a servant to someone and take orders from them, I know you're better than that; from this point forward I want you to become defiant, resistant to whatever they'll be throwing at you and be determined on whatever you're going after. Most importantly: All I want you to do now is to think for once in your life about whatever is the best thing for you to do next, this is for you and you alone; no one else will tell you what you should do next and if they do so then give them the look in your eyes to bite you. Do you understand, Jeyluxhal?" Shenzi asked him as it looked like there was no response from him, that was until he fully stood up and turned to the other side; stroking her neck with his barbed tongue and nodding before leaving, giving her confirmation that he understood every word she told him before he left by himself

The female monarch of her clan that was aligned with Scar knew that although he would take her words to heart and had nothing more to fear from listening to what she has to tell him, he would still be self-conflicted because as of now he's not taking orders from anyone. Consider it one way or another, while he provided them the kind of luxury mostly to her since he calls her his mother; that's not stopping her from being concerned about the condition he was in. She left soon afterwards to return back to her own business but knew that what happened next was going to have her intervene in a fight

* * *

Jeyluxhal's conflict with himself grew worse but like his silenced voice he never showed it at all out to the others in the clan, he kept everything to himself since he's not trying to bother a single animal with his problems. He was just cleaning out Ed's ear while he lied down right by his side next to him, not making a single sound at all as he enjoyed this; now that's a kind of a great achievement for him to not laugh once in times like these. The two of each other were cleaning each other as mentioned before, Ed was really his only friend and like both Shenzi and Banzai he never considers him a idiot because he knows how to keep the score. As soon as he finished Ed started doing the same to him though he lapped his tongue against his face, judging from the times that Jeyluxhal passed out like about now one can assume that he's got some low blood pressure; makes a little bit of sense because of how his wounds from all kind of scufflings between him and Banzai. Speaking of the devil here he comes now as he started to insult him:

"This is the saddest relationship I ever seen between you and Ed, I never thought a hyena like you would harbor feelings towards him. Get a room for the both of you" Banzai teased him of his homosexuality which made Jeyluxhal stand up

He carried a look in his eyes that told him that he picked the wrong time to question him, not sparing his breath for a few words as he gave him the chance to walk off so he doesn't have to question his sexuality. It's just them cleaning each other but Banzai threw it away as he didn't stop insulting him further: "You're not walking away from me, there's something nice for you that I haven't done just yet; I'm willing to make up for the fighting and all kinds of crap in the past we can both leave behind"

Jeyluxhal walked off with the expression on his face that told him that whatever it was he is wanting to make up from him, he is not interested thanks to his newfound independence as it's him that's making the choices for what he does now and he's not taking orders to feed his ass. Banzai sought the opportunity to bait him further into the fight: "That's right go and leave because Scar knows how to look out for us like myself, he doesn't want to see your face when you're here. You wouldn't even make a good scavenger if the Pride Land's got no food left for us three, why else do you think we're going let the lions to the dirty work around here? They might as well cut off your ear because they don't like either of ours but mostly your face!" (A/N: Original and Uncut Arabian Knights lyrics from Aladdin, they can still be heard on the home video copies of the classic Robin Williams animated film)

Jeyluxhal returned in front of his face with the narrowed eye expression that stated that he does not want this fight from him: "Oh but I think I do want to start one" Banzai viciously told him before landing a claw swipe against the side of his face, Jeyluxhal silently growled at him to leave as he gave him one final warning. Banzai shook his head and snarled back at him: "No way in hell am I going to let you off the meat hook for poisoning me back there, this time I'm not making a joke about it after you turned me into one in front of the others!"

Banzai pounced onto him as he started to dig his fangs into his skin which sprayed some to an few droplets of blood on his face, tasted like copper to the tongue and if he drank more of his blood then he might as well get some blood poisoning from him; blame him in his final will in that matter. Jeyluxhal kicked him off before biting his snout and slammed him directly to the ground, ramming his head into his stomach and clawing across his chest until Banzai returned with a blow to his back along with multiple claw swipes and slashes towards his body. Ending it by biting him on the neck, though Jeyluxhal slammed him up against the wall and kicked his left face off to the side

Jeyluxhal had then jumped over to him so that he held him down to the ground, Banzai gave a wicked smile before turning to the tables on him; spitting in his right eye and proceeding to bite him in the nose. The former bit his ear and pulled him over to his side where he got back to the upperhand in their fight, pounding him to the floor with multiple poundings with both his paws. He then went on to maul him to the sides without giving the chance for him to start getting back up so he can fight back, going so far as to strangle him by the neck; to which he's forced into slapping him on the face on both sides until he launched him off. Coughing out a few droplets of blood before letting out a short but painful yelp, turning to face Jeyluxhal as he let out an vicious snarl against him

"I agreed for Shenzi to keep your ungrateful little ass and now I'm start kicking your ass eight times as harder than I'd do to Ed" Blood streamed down from Banzai's lower mouth just when another hyena walked by seeing the fight between them

"Everything alright here?" He asked as Jeyluxhal gave the expression that mocked the question he was asking, Banzai gave him a death glare and told him this

"Take him somewhere else where he can't bother her no more" He told him as the hyena speculated that Jeyluxhal was becoming obnoxious towards the leader of the clan before taking him by the front paws

"You heard our clan leader, she don't want to deal with you no more so let's go" The hyena told him as Jeyluxhal gave a calm warning expression that looked half-surprised, telling him to take his paws off him. The hyena grabbed him with both paws in response to that face of his: "Now!" the accomplice shouted

Jeyluxhal took the accomplice by the neck with his fangs and flipped him to the other side as he then running up against the wall, rapidly swiping his claws against his chest as Banzai took this chance to heavily dig his claws down his back; making him scream in pain before leaping over to finish him off. Scuffling once again as the accomplice got far away from him as soon as possible, the fight went nowhere to say the least because just as she knew; Shenzi had to get in there and stop the scuffling between the two of them as soon as possible. While the fights between Banzai and Ed were reasonable, Jeyluxhal was known to take things too far when it all focused on him

"Get the hell off of him!" Upon hearing her voice Jeyluxhal dodged and used Banzai to shield himself, he knows she was referring to him as they still looked out to each other like family; that did not stop him from attacking however

Shenzi took her comrade down with no problem but in Jeyluxhal's blind fury when she took him on by the shoulders from the back, he punched her across the face believing her to be a second accomplice who came to aid his opponent; all in a blinded rage that he had no control over as she was sent to the ground. The heavy weight of the earth slammed onto his chest as he stopped fighting altogether, hurting the same matriarch who took him in from the life of a despaired pup with no parents left and started the new one here with the trio. Banzai looked down on her to find a bruise forming from that punch of his, he might've been greedy but he couldn't risk losing her nor Ed for no matter how obnoxious he was; that angry face told him that he just earned himself a killing

Jeyluxhal watched her stand back up through narrowed eyes and a lowered head, focusing all attention on him as although she was not maliciously harmed by him on purpose; he still had that expression of regret drawn on his face, ending up hating what he did. She could see that he really wanted to say something but the damn words wouldn't come out of his mouth, one way or another all she really had to say to him was this: "Who the hell are you..." That was not a question but to Jeyluxhal it was, looking into his face that spelt it all out in front of her so it can be clear for her to read. Banzai dug his fangs from behind and tried to drag him away, but was elbowed in the snout

Not knowing who he was nor what he did Jeyluxhal ran off in the Elephant Graveyard, clearly he tried to show his defiance but he was too ignorant to know that he would do this to her; it was not his fault but he treated it like it was. She knew where he's going and thus, Shenzi got up fully before tailing him from behind without being spotted; using her prowling and stealth skills she started to adapt from him. Following him into a more secluded area away from the other males of the clan, she's not letting him run off from her like that

She found him walking through a canyon like area with an arch above his head as well as the wall that had a largely soaked splotch towards the ground that reflected himself like a mirror, it looked like he was moping about but as soon as he walked through; a little thought going in his mind was playing out as if it were a song aimed towards him in third person, but showed a point of view from his eyes occasionally. His voice was not built for singing but this was just a little tune going through his head, apparently he took her statement towards him like it was a and was having a hard time telling who he was within his soul:

(A/N: I asked someone which of the three songs: All I Ever Wanted from The Prince of Egypt, Reflection from Mulan and Jack's Lament from The Nightmare Before Christmas; would fit him the most and he chose the second one, being that he's more like that kind of person who doesn't know who he is and what he wants to be. So I decided to go with this one because I agree, he's not feeling well enough to start acting like the man he was supposed to be and it shows. By the way when it says "I" and "My" it's him mentally speaking while the rest of the song is in third person)

_Look at him, he would never pass for a perfect son nor a perfect hunter_

_Could it be that he's not meant to play, this part? Now he sees, that if he were truly to be himself_

_He would only disappoint his mother_

_(Doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo)_

_Who is that man he sees, staring straight back at him_

_When will his reflection show, who he is inside?_

_(Next verse starts here)_

_He is now, in a world where he has to hide his heart and what he believes in_

_But somehow I will show the lands what's inside his heart, and be loved for who I am_

_(Da na na na na na, na na na)_

_Who is that man he sees, staring straight back at him? Why is his reflection someone he does not know?_

_Must he pretend that he is someone else for all time? When will his reflection show, who I am inside?_

_(Final verse starts here)_

_There's a heart that must be free to fly, that burns with a need to know the reason who he is!_

_Why must we all conceal what we think, and how we feel? Must there be a secret half he's forced to hide?_

_I won't pretend that I'm someone else, for all time. When will his reflection show, who he is inside?_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside...?_

All throughout this mental tune that told Shenzi who was spying on him he didn't know who he is within himself, Jeyluxhal roamed about through the secluded area as he looked towards the wet splotch of water on the wall; coming over to see his younger self on the other side as he wiped away half of himself which showed his true self standing. Ashamed of himself he'd immediately turned away and his face before going off to the pond in front of his overhang as it was where he slept and where he wanted to be alone to himself

As the night had fallen on the Pride Lands, so did he as he just wanted some rest after this long evening; doing just that as he got up against the wall and laid himself down, still upset after assaulting the one figure he called a mother after Najira was taken away from him. Shenzi stealthily approached him as he slept before coming down to a point where he can feel her breath against his back, with a paw on his shoulder and her face near his before lapping his tongue multiple times on him; it was out of assurance that he's still one of her own, going on to tell him that what he thought was misheard and read

What she really meant by those words about not taking orders from anyone and to think for himself was supposed to make him decide what's best for himself, he doesn't have to do all this just for her alone. All of them are in the same clan and neither of them are mistreated by her, she is doing what she feels like her clan needs from a matriarch like herself. Afterwards, she lapped her tongue against his cheek one last time before leaving; assuring him that she'll be seeing him in the next morning

Jeyluxhal slept silently that night as he wasn't shaking but he still felt cold as if someone had been near him, telling him that everything was alright and he was still apart of this clan even if he assaulted her as it was all just blind fury. The next morning he would fully understand her words of wisdom and from that point forward, he will start becoming more what his mother wants him to be; all for the things of what he'd do for someone like a clan leader


	3. Tyranny on Pride Rock

(A/N: Yeah Jeyluxhal's not that kind of hyena whom takes Scar's ascension to the throne so cheerfully like Zira does and speaking of which I rather not have her involved too much as I rather not see the sequel to this film. Mostly because of Simba's behavior in how he treats Kovu and takes Zira's side when the ambush leads to his exile and the infamous Not One of Us musical number. This is why I don't have Jeyluxhal acting kindly to him later on when the two would officially meet each other later on, he hates those who act like Simba in the 2nd film but despite this he never encounters Kiara once in this story nor does he want anything more of Zira because if she tries to frighten him; he's giving her a deeply tanned ass that will bleed more than Niagra Fall's cascading rivers on the stone rock walls. As for Kovu though it's just a friendship that'll be up in flames because he is in no way on good terms with Scar. You are about to see what he thinks of him in this chapter and of course he doesn't join in with all the others in the Be Prepared sequence because his voice isn't built for singing, if he had one to sing with. You'll also see his views on the Circle of Life here albeit briefly. Enjoy)

Returning from a hunt in the Pride Lands with no one to witness his presence, Jeyluxhal came back to the Elephant Graveyard to feast on his kill having become a little less skeletal to more filled up with some blubber for his body; though he's in no mood on becoming fat as he could go no further than what he's doing unless if he's really that hungry. He was up at his overhung resting spot because as soon as he finished up on eating, he looked up to see in the distance that the trio were chasing two lion cubs who've come to the wrong graveyard looking for a bit to little action here. As soon as it looked like that Shenzi was closing in on the female cub, all seemed to be going well for them as he closing in for the bite on the female cub's body; she's trying to climb the bones but was slipping until the male cub came down to the rescue, with a painful and stinging swipe of his claws across the right side of her face. Shenzi growled upon this but Jeyluxhal snarled at that male cub. How dare he treat his mother so shamefully?! He will get his claws on him if it's the last thing he does for drawing blood on her face, with that he decided to intervene and stop this chase

Running through the barren canyons of the Elephant Graveyard before coming to a slow walk as he knew that the male cub's father whoever he was would be arriving to save them both in a mere instant. It took him awhile to arrive there but as soon as he did, he found the trio and the two cubs along with a hornbill being cornered; he's not taking any chances as he just hid in the shadows to watch the events unfold from here on out. The roar of the lion was heard and from above came Mufasa himself as he valiantly mauled them until they were under his iron paw, threatening the three of them that if he ever went near his son again; giving him a idea that the male cub who drew blood from his mother's cheek was Simba as he was born before him. Even then he was just a little baby cub when he was growing up with his friends and that infamous massacre of his true mother. Once Mufasa released them and expressed both clear to full disappointment of his son, they went back as he managed to hear the female cub tell Simba that she thought he was brave; not on his watch and not for someone that young since none of it matters to him. Time to go somewhere we're they'll most likely be at after running off from the interference from Mufasa

Beating them all to the geyser vent filled gorge of the Elephant Graveyard under a matter of a really long time hours one could say, he just lied down and decided to take a little rest while he's waiting for them; crossing his paws underneath his lower jaw and yawning before taking a little jaguar nap of his own. More than after a few hours passed on as Shenzi had led the trio into the cave where she was off by herself to think, Banzai had a load of scars on his ass while Ed wasn't harmed in the slightest; Jeyluxhal on his back drooling on the floor which of course was drying out as soon as it touched the floor. His left leg twitched three times before one of his paws did the same two times, letting out a silent yawn and flipping back onto his stomach as he started opening his eyes slowly. He lifted his head just as the last puddles of his slobber fell from the sides of his lips, looking up to find Shenzi pacing around up on the ledge while a hyena whose name should not go spoken by him complained while the former put a paw up to her right cheek

"Damn that lousy Mufasa, I can't even sit for a entire week" Banzai bitched as Ed laughed at this kind of misfortune. Jeyluxshal turned back and gave himself a smile on his face as he's starting to get irritated: "It ain't funny Ed..." His temper was flaring about

Ed tried to silence himself but bursted out worse than before as now he's got his blood that's boiling hotter than the sun: "Hey, shut up Ed!" The hyena could not stop laughing his ass off and at that point he was through with him making fun of his ass mauling before attacking by both mauling and biting each other, Jeyluxhal walked towards the ledge where Shenzi turned to face the two of them

"Would you cut that out?!" Shenzi barked out at them in a irritated voice

"He started it!" Banzai snarled as he accused Ed who was chewing on his own leg until he realized they were no longer fighting, especially now as Shenzi came down from the ledge. Jeyluxhal didn't think he would get that stupider over the months he's spent with them

"Look at you guys, no wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain" Shenzi shook her head at the two as Jeyluxhal approached her side to look at the scar on her face, nuzzling his snout against it with calm whimpering to which she softly brushed off his concern for her. Telling him that while it stings he doesn't have to worry about her, she'll be fine though she ain't admitting it to the others; Jeyluxhal lapped his tongue on the wound just in case as he walked off to the exit feeling like there was someone listening in

"I hate dangling..." Banzai complained with a long line of drool dangling from his muzzle, like his mother Jeyluxhal just snuffed him off with a face of disgust that looked like he was going through a very constipated matter that he feels humiliated to talk to anyone else about

"Yeah? You know if it weren't for them we'd be running the joint around here" She knew they're better than those who proclaimed themselves the Kings of all beasts in the serengeti, all that they had to do was prove to the others that the lions overestimated themselves since they act all high and mighty; when in reality they're the cowardly scaredy cats

"Yeah, I hate lions; so pushy" Banzai snorted

"So hairy" Shenzi grinned circling around her comrade

"So smelly" Banzai continued

"But man are they: Uuuugly!" The two of them chorused as hysterical laughter filled the cave, this is how she wished it could be all the time and Jeyluxhal's at least happy for her; he would nevertheless have nothing against Mufasa, just his son Simba since grudges cast shadows and this one for leaving that wound on her cheek was one that he's going to pay for. He left soon afterwards as he didn't want to hear the kind of bullshit that happened next, going back to his resting spot as it was late out night but his little nap made him stay up in the night as he took this time to think to himself how things were going to change around here in the following night that came and went

Looking into the skies of the night he saw the stars flicker in to out each time he turned away, he heard some of the animals tell each other about the stars being the great kings of the past; assuring them that in the darkest night they were never alone as they're always there so that they'll guide them whenever needed. Apparently it was all part of this ideological concept that all animals shared in common that was called the Circle of Life, however what mattered to all of them the most is that kind of thing that's remembered the least by him; he doesn't have a right to give his view on the C.O.L but is this what the lions of Pride Rock think about him, do the animals really hate him so much that he doesn't have a right to give his interpretation on what he thinks of this cycle? No it doesn't and he'll show them why because he's got his own title: Jeyluxhal, the Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands. He doesn't need to give them a reason to believe in what he thinks is his ideal view on their shared culture, he had his own thoughts that acted like his cultural beliefs on what he sees in the Pride Lands; other animals might be thinking he's becoming arrogant like the rest of them but that's not the point

He did feel like something not right was going on and someone was missing because though it was clear that Banzai refused to be called a father to him as he doesn't want to raise a little arrogant shit like him, he started hallucinating that his real father out there was trying to find him. He knew he was alive and well but couldn't find where he was, he wondered if he even had friends of his own back then because it was a long time ago; all he could remember was looking up to find Shenzi taking him in with no words to spare from his mouth, nothing ever came out thanks to that speech disorder of his. He tried to talk at times but there weren't any sentences forming from his throat that he can manipulate over to his will, then again actions speak louder than words so he does know how to talk without ever forming a single word at all. All he would usually do was kill the boredom thanks to the number of toys constructed by everyday essentials found around here

With his mouth soaked in a tsunami of slobber all around the cutting edges, he lied down to give out a prolonged yawn all while scratching behind his ears with his legs; all just waiting for the moon to come down and the sun to come up. He assumed the trio was asleep at this point but thought wrong as the three of them rallied the hyenas and got together with Scar, the death of the king begins midday first thing in the morning. What their plan was to see the king of the Pride Lands dead was this: lure Simba into the Wildebeest Valley and set him up with a surprise that's to die for, warning Mufasa about the stampede where because he fears losing his son he will attempt to rescue him; that's when he will be killed and if his son does not share the same fate, Scar will exile him using his trauma against him. Of course to assure that Simba does die as result of the stampede the trio will have to finish the job, though he's not exactly aware of this plan to have them both killed in the stampede; might as well get an little bit of rest while he's at since he could sleep some more

If he were to witness the death of Mufasa which is without a reason unavoidable, then he will not be giving a warm welcoming to their new ruler Scar; but instead a cold shunning in front of his face directly. It wouldn't matter to him if he's defying his mother's orders, to him it was worth it since Scar can't do anything to him now that he's his own person

* * *

The next morning Jeyluxhal was still alseep as he was walking through the Pride Lands which is a clear violation of the law as he's in position to be here whatsoever, but oh that's right he's not taking orders from other animals and he's not following whatever law that's enforced. His eyes were half opened but mostly looked blinded as he was still vocally breathing out, fur all sweaty as if he was overheating and slowly walking with no context towards the gorge. Once again he's still drooling a tsunami of slobber from the cutting edges of his mouth, though he did look like he's confused but even then that can't explain this pulsating pain on the back of his head. Letting out a prolonged yawn but managing to hurt his jaw thanks to the sounds of cracking in the joints, Jeyluxhal remained unaware of the events that were taking place from where he was right about now

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed awaited on Scar's command to begin the stampede because everyone's aware of what they say: long live the king. As soon as he appeared from the other side atop a rock, the three hyenas jumped out to start the plan as Banzai attacked one of the ill ones like he was complaining about earlier which would disrupt the plan because of the things he will do for food. It's that greed that gets his ass into the worst of situations. This action along with the hyenas biting at their heels is what causes them to run down the slope as the stampede's on it's way, the trio were not aware of Jeyluxhal's presence near the gorge's edge but though he was going through a state of confusion from his attempts to try and sleep with no success in the night. He slid down the edge of the gorge and started walking to where the branch was as Simba was thrown off after a wildebeest rammed into it with no sense of self-control over itself, same thing can be spoken for the rest of their kind as they couldn't stop

Jeyluxhal got hit a couple of times but nothing too major as Mufasa rescued Simba, however at that instant he was taken off from the sea of wildebeest below; leaping up onto the wall to climb back up to safety. Jeyluxhal looked up to see the final moments of Mufasa as well as in a matter of speaking seeing what Scar looked like for the first time, he's not threatening at all but he is obviously a villain. Mufasa called him his brother in desperate measures as he is in a moment of slipping away from the edge of the gorge, Simba was nowhere to be found but he was here to witness what happened next

Scar stabbed his paws onto his brother's which had him yell in pain, before glaring down on him and whispering long live the king; at this point is when Mufasa realized that he had no brother. He planned this from that night ago when a son like his own needed to understand he though he might not be there for him in the future, he will always be there when he needed him the most as part of the great kings of the past. He's been lied to all this time and anger flared in his eyes at the sight of this betrayal, at that point Scar threw him off as Mufasa roared in fury before the horrific echo of Simba blocked out the sound of his bones being crushed and his body being trampled to death by the wildebeests

All throughout this time was when Jeyluxhal not only saw it directly in front of him, but it was shown right in front of his face from Scar's betrayal to him committing fratricide on the King of Pride Rock of all people. However Jeyluxhal's expression was not of anger just yet, it was but a face that was trying to process what has happened; narrow eyes and upward tilted head as well as lip biting through a closed mouth that went on for a few minutes when the dust had settled down

As soon as it all became clear to him he returned to his normal expression but not taking off his narrowed eyes, growling snarlish fang bared mouth and straightened sitting stature. He looked annoyed to the others but he was disgusted as Shenzi is best when it came to what it was that he's saying, but so did the others of the trio. He started to leave as soon as Simba came looking for his father, overhearing Scar feel false sympathy for his actions but for as soon as he told him to run away out of exile so that none of the others would blame him; it was then that he threw off the charade and bluntly told the trio to kill him so nothing remains of him. Once everything was calm for the time being, Jeyluxhal approached Mufasa as he got down to him

Flickering before his eyes was a brief hallucination of his father Tabari laying on the ground in a short moment of light self-meltdown as he didn't know whom this hyena was, looking close to the body he found that he had the same features just like himself. But he can't identify his victim as himself without noting the full similarities in appearance, something he can't do in this hallucination as it vanished and returned back to Mufasa; startled he ran off to where the other hyenas were right about now. Climbing up the hill where Simba ran off from before he came down the slope to which Banzai stopped himself, though he kept getting pushed thanks to Shenzi and Ed in that particular order where they stopped; his mother had a grin on her face like she knew what was going to happen

As soon as he smacked into the trio Banzai was launched directly into the thornbushes which had him barking in pain as he sprung up into the air shortly upon coming into contact, which was something that even had him laughing albeit sounding like he just lost his sanity; Banzai got back onto soft ground as many thorns were stabbed into his ass and his paws, picking the prickly spikes out immediately as Shenzi stopped laughing afterwards. "Oh, there he goes! There he goes!"

"Yeah? Then go fetch him" Banzai was too focused on removing the thorns on his ass

"There's no way I'm going in there, what you want me to come out looking like you; cactus ass?" Shenzi giggled as Banzai was angry but had no other person to take his anger out on, firing thorns into Ed who whimpered in pain like a dog as he started to pull them out desperately

"We have to finish the job here and I ain't risking Scar hunting us down" Banzai finished as he still had a few more thorns in his ass and seeing Jeyluxhal bursting out worse than before as he founded madder than Ed whenever he laughed at his misfortune, he fired the most thorns directly into the nostrils of his nose which had him howling in pain: "I ain't done with you just yet because I got something up my sleeve when we get back" Banzai warned him as he planned another attack on him

"Yeah? Well he's as good as dead out there when he don't find anything to eat or drink from, and if he comes back... we'll kill him" Shenzi overlooked the thorns and the plain from where Simba continued to run into the red sun that was setting, Banzai joined her

"Yeah... You hear that? If you ever come back, we'll kill ya!" He laughed as Simba stopped at the edge of the red sun, turning back as he shed a tear before continuing to run

Jeyluxhal never stopped looking back to Simba with a disgusted expression he never stopped having on his face, he has no intentions on killing the young cub as he's only interested in just one thing on his mind meant for him; payback for what he did to his mother and as soon as he settled down because Simba cannot run forever from his past, now would be his chance for a little retribution. He left afterwards to hear what Scar has to say about his bullshit sympathy and as soon as he was back, he might as well decide to spend some time alone like always to himself since he's not very well in interacting with others who were different from himself; these lionesses thought of him like every other hyena and he's no different

* * *

"A simple errand, I want you to patrol the Pride Lands as of the first night here and assure by all means no one is planning to overthrow me. I have no trust in the lionesses just as I don't have trust in many of you hyenas" Scar happened to be asking the trio of a job to which this response from Shenzi is what made him sneer

"My clan is trustworthy, you're saying that you trust us is that it?" Shenzi growled

"I don't want you to get angry with me unless of course, that is I have to be forced to harm you" Scar sneered at her as he raised a paw casually and regarded it in a bored manner, she stopped snarling before sitting back; that was when Scar swung his paw against her, slapping her fully in the face as she was sent sprawling close to the edge of Pride Rock

"Bastard, hitting one of our own when she wasn't threatening you" Banzai hissed at him as he cared for her just as much as he cared for all members of the clan, for you see as no matter in whatever he does to Jeyluxhal; he's still one of them but he's not the one to admit this right in front of his face. Speaking of which he was witnessing it from the shadows still carrying a disgusted expression on his face even to this hour in the night

"I want you on patrol within the following five minutes, should I discover that you are not on that deadline then... you will be more than sorry for what ever should happen next" Scar prowled off back into the shadows of the cave, leaving the trio bewildered as Banzai moved to where Shenzi stood up

"You alright?" Banzai asked in concern for her

"I'm great - fan-god-damn-it-to-hell-tastic" She replied dryly. "Better get down to the edge of the Pride Lands because I'm not willing to give Scar more reasons not to trust us now. He might as well start suspecting that Simba might be alive and we're not that suicidal to not value our lives" Shenzi shook herself from the ground

"Think he'll kill each of us in return and let the others watch?" Banzai speculated

"Sounds exactly like the kind of ruler that would do the same" Shenzi responded

"I can't watch you nor Ed and Jeyluxhal be murdered" Banzai admitted silently as Jeyluxhal heard what he admitted, provoking a sadness in him as though he was his rival; he still acted like a father figure even if he didn't want to be one to him and threw away his chances to fix the strains in their bleeding rift of a relationship. Turning his head away just as he said that

"No one wants to watch those they care about being brutally murdered by some pissed off to the brink lion" Shenzi laughed as though she saw the seriousness in what Banzai was saying all the same, she knew that deep down she would be the first to take the sacrifice for them

Scar loathed but trusted her, Banzai and Ed to do the special missions. Shenzi did not have a mean to understand the scrawny excuse for a lion at times. He was no king but a tyrant and it was this point to where a warmth although slight was felt in her soul, one that wished for an time when Mufasa wasn't dead. When he was alive they were free to eat what they needed and he was about to kill them, he would chase them instead for miles until they outran him or passed beyond the borders of the Pride Land's sun in the morning. The hyenas were really starving under Scar's rule and if Simba returned, they would be killed in battle and those who have survived would be as good as dead the minute they stepped in here; at times they were all wondering if was worth it to kill the king which although they helped out their pal, this has brought them a lifetime of despair. Shenzi and her clan had greater power than the others, is that power any use if the herds of animals are dead or long moved out to other lands; with an number of lionesses rebelling against the order to hunt stacked on top of all that?

Jeyluxhal smacked into her while droning off to other thoughts before lightly hugging her for a moment as he moved on to other parts in the Pride Lands that have started to become their barren homeland that would never shine as long as Scar remained in rule of this land. Shenzi looked back on that disgusted expression on his face as he didn't seem to take their plan too lightly, even shedding some tears at what the Pride Lands were starting to become from this point onward. He held clear and distinct hatred towards Scar but even more so to the lions as all of them looked at him with no distinction from the others, all of them would either snarl lightly towards him as he became more moody as time went on; eventually he gave no shits since he was never seen so often anymore and always spent his time resting on the peak of Pride Rock itself. Looking up at the night sky and the great kings of the past wondering if the kings also respond to hyenas like him regardless of the evils that his kind brought to them

It was one day that Scar had bellowed out to Nala as the rebellious lioness stepped resolutely forward, being an adolescent after some time had passed but not an adult just yet; she's still too young for that. "You have something to say to me?"

"You were supposed to be leading the hunting party as of today, mind explaining the reason for not doing as told?" Scar asked with a irritated tone in his voice

"We do not see a reason behind all this on why we should share our food and our lands with the worthless likes of you and these fela-bitten scumbags" She hissed nastily towards them

"Are you calling us flea-bitten you little shit?!" Banzai yelled at her, scratching behind his ear due to the ticklish sensation behind it

"Nala, you are forcing me onto measures I would rather not commit: It's either you who leads the hunt or it's the blood of Sarafina that will stain your paws. Lock her away until her child is ready to learn respect towards her king and his allies" Scar ordered as Nala watched helplessly as her mother was dragged off, backing off until she bumped into Jeyluxhal's frontal body which made her jump lightly

"You scared the hell out of me, that isn't funny!" Nala misinterpreted his normal expression as snickering before hitting him in the upperchest with her paw, drawing blood from him as he growled in response; walking away from her back to his favorite spot: "Don't you walk out on me, you still owe me an apology for that" Jeyluxhal turned back to face her, giving her a really violent look in the eyes that she might want to be a bit more nicer to him considering the fact that he had done no wrong to these lions because he's always minding his own fucking shit!

Unlike before however she understood what he was saying and felt some regret before she left to hunt, she can't risk having her mother's blood be next on the list of deaths in the Pride Land's family of monarchy. Back with Jeyluxhal he joined in with the trio as they happened to be in the middle of a little argument based on the insults directed towards them, he gave his shot at cracking a joke towards his misfortune using his face which actually had all three of them surprisingly laughing; even Banzai since he doesn't take this very well. He just wants to help lighten up the mood but he didn't expect it to lighten up quickly like this, Banzai stopped laughing as he replied to Jeyluxhal's expression that told of his scenario

"Still, it could be even worse than ending up like that; my nose could've been gushing blood like a cascade of a paradise resort" The others continued laughing as Banzai seemed to be happy for once

Jeyluxhal joined in the laughing and made an expression on what he meant by his nose could be gushing blood like a cascade in a paradise resort, asking Banzai who was still laughing like a madman before without warning lunging over to his snout and viciously biting his nose just as blood began to squirt onto his face as well as the sounds of bones crunching when he dug his fangs deeply into his black nose. He howled in pain as Banzai increased the pressure and dug them deepening to bleed harder and harder than before ripping his mouth of his nose, he was left to clutch his snout in pain just as Banzai spat in his eye; angrily snarling and hissing against him. Banzai then drove him away back to his resting spot as he turned back, spitting some in Ed's eye as well and moving on. Jeyluxhal climbed back into a shadowed rock area, but before he can be alone he had to violently scream at some hyenas who were scared off by him. Now he can take this time to clutch his snout in pain

Overtime as Jeyluxhal never talked to anyone outside of the trio using his expressions that to him spoke louder than words themselves, he was not aware of the fact that Queen Sarabi had grown to become rather curious about his behavior in the process that he's not like the other ones. This could be proven for the fact that he rarely laughs, never talks which was one of the most infamous traits about him and he always looks so sad and distant whenever he's around and about down here. Always carrying that disgusted look on his face and whenever Scar was seen he gave him an filthy violent look meant just for him, but if anyone talked about him he was heard silently growling to himself. Indeed this is one ambiguous curiosity that can't be ignored by her, it was only a matter of time before she started to feel sympathy for whatever it was that bothered him so much; he would've been able to talk about it if he had a voice to speak with. She figured that Shenzi was his mother or at least his adopted mother and he seemed to be very protective of her, oh... looks like someone's developing a Oedipus complex but with no father to act as his competition. She hoped he can bravely admit this to Shenzi as a queen like her knows the kind of loyalty to a woman when she sees one and that is the kind of loyalty that explains a lot

* * *

Jeyluxhal returned from hunting in the outer Pride Lands as he silently passed by the lioness Sarabi without a word given to her, looking up to see him head into the shadowed rock that's come to be known as his second resting spot to talk to someone alone. Shenzi suspected that apparently he's fallen in love with her and decided to have a word alone, heading inside the shadowed rock cave as she looked around; spacious as always and found him looking down on himself. He knows he's done wrong to her but he's ready for whatever's going to be spat out towards him, he breathed one out and slouched down; laying his knee on his other and spreading his arms diagonally out on the sides. He's ready to hear what she has to say

"I take you in as apart of my clan and give you someplace to stay for the time being until we took over the Pride Lands, and this is how you act around here. Who can blame you, it's not the Elephant Graveyard but at least you've tried to get used to these new faces around the place. But that's not what I've been hearing from the others now isn't it? Others spreading out gossip that you have a crush on me from what I've been hearing about around here, it's only a matter of time before you start harboring feelings towards me. I figured you would be the one to do so after all these years and months" Shenzi told him

Jeyluxhal still felt uncomfortable when talking about this and shifted away from her as if he didn't want to know her response to what she spoke to him about, but that didn't mean he's not going to hear what she has to say about it. Shenzi came closer to him until he could see her body near his but not trying anything that would come off as an act of sexual harassment

"I'll tell you one thing, I am flattered and I don't need the others to confirm that you're doing all of this because you started falling in love with me for someone who spares no words. That is something none of the others ever tried but let's say that they did, any other matriarch like me would've been uncomfortable as well as not understand what they're saying. Now there's always one thing that follows the next and it's this reason on why you shouldn't be feeling as if your pants were pulled down in the gym, blindfolded and wearing tape around your mouth while the others laughed their asses off at you. Yes, even the teachers and principal would be laughing their asses because they're untrustworthy assholes unlike my clan" Shenzi admitted to him

Jeyluxhal still felt a throbbing pain on the back of his head as if something was hurting him, it wasn't the first time it happened when talking to his mother. He placed his paws down on his head as if he was trying to suppress the pulsating pain which his mother found it was starting to become a lot more worse than before. After helping him stop the pain from hurting him in the head further, she continued to talk to him further about the little crush he has on her, as Jeyluxhal breathed one out through his nose and lied down. She could see it in his eyes that though was going to hate hearing what her thoughts were on this, he'd still listen to her no matter what. The female monarch of her clan gotten down next to his side before bringing out her full opinion on this situation, speaking into his left ear and telling him this just so a matriarch like her can help him:

"I'm not the kind of woman you would want as your own, I'm too old for someone like a teen such as yourself. I know you're going to defend me by saying that I'm not old, but it's time for you to wake up and smell the pheromones out there; I'm not the woman whose right for you and even then just look at me like any other hyena out there: sassy, tend to boss around the others and vicious if someone's tempting me. Me and the others surrounded Rafiki when we were young and he just came into the Pride Lands, at least until Ahadi came to the rescue and we did the same to Mufasa's stooge when he was a teen like you; but at least neither of us at one point or another tried to boil you in the birdie-boiler, that never gets old for us. Oh yeah and I was the one who gave him that scar hence his name, tried to help him like our pal that I'm beginning to doubt at this time. Make himself look good by making Mufasa look bad and that jazz, got his eye scratched in a plan to have a cape buffalo fight his brother. But yes back to me now. Someone who is assertive and unlike you has self control isn't someone you want and unfortunately, you're the opposite of all that" Shenzi explained to him as well as told him about how Scar earned his name and how they used to bully Rafiki and Zazu back then

Jeyluxhal perked up like before upon hearing the name Ahadi, it was one of the reasons that his father would rather not be in the affair of the lion monarchy at Pride Rock. If there was at least one thing he inherited from him it was his distaste for how he treated his two sons, why he was the king back then again if he played favorites? She allowed herself a chuckle upon seeing him perk up at the name of Mufasa's father, giving off a expression of disgust towards his treatment of the two sons with one going to die in that gorge and one who would drive it all to the ground. He supposed that Scar isn't the patient type to wait for his rule to be over as he will take over his duties from this point onward, but how much more woke as fuck could he be until he starts having another meltdown from thinking too much? He just hopes he's using that term he used just now right

"Not only are you very quiet but you're confused and lost on what you want to be. You don't laugh as much, you don't interact with the pups born in the clan; you're not much of a hyena whose independent to himself back then. You must really be trying to show how much you care for me after I took you in then huh? I don't mind if that's what you're trying to show me because you've done that more than once. So there's only one more thing I could say to you: I don't think I've really talked about myself this much to any other average hyena, just wanted to say thanks for listening to me Jeyluxhal. Scar might still be around to harass us some more because we don't deserve some fun for ourselves, I enjoyed this little talk between us; thanks" Shenzi stood up before lapping her barbed tongue against his bitten dried blood nose before leaving, giving him her own version of his normal expression as she disappeared out of sight

Jeyluxhal looked back at her as she left, heading into Pride Rock while remaining hidden out of sight of the other lionesses; he was through having to deal with their hatred directed to his kind that he was born into. You know he developed a temporary hate for what he was born as because of that, Scar's mate who fell in love with him Zira made well sure of that hatred. The others at least some of them were becoming more like the Outlanders he witnessed back at when they did the unforgivable deed to his mother, Jeyluxhal looked down on his paws and started doubting if he could ever be loved even for his appearance; he returned to the peak of Pride Rock to further contemplate if someone can look past the way he looks and still love him for who he is

It's all because of Zira that he hates himself and is ashamed of what he looks like, if Scar had a heir but not an son then he might build a friendship with him; if only it was easy for him since Shenzi doesn't lie when she said that Jeyluxhal doesn't interact with others of his age when it was a time that he was a young pup. A friendship with the heir to Scar's throne being apart of Zira's plans is one that'll end up in bigger flames than his other ones in more ways than one, that's no lie from him


	4. Return of the Prince

Atop the sunlight clear peak of Pride Rock lied a very exerted and wounded Jeyluxhal as he's asleep as of now but previously he had committed something that although he has no regret in doing, what was once a hyena who showed off a lack of response to threats directed to his face like Scar has now transformed him into a state of being close to death by their tyrant and of course; the hyena trio once loyal to their ruler was beginning to doubt him. This is what all lionesses expected to happen because how much longer could their loyalty to Scar last? This is what happened previously that led him into a state of despair worse then when he swiped his claw against his own mother. Not even he was not aware of what Scar did to her on their first night in the Pride Lands, as he was going to settle the score right now. It was just two days before the return of Simba who came to reclaim the throne that was meant to be taken under his paw following the passing of his father he did not kill

Jeyluxhal's existence as Shenzi's son was not known to Scar as he wanted to keep it like that for as long as he could, if he found out he wouldn't be so happy and she'd suffer the worst out of the trio considering that he trusted her more than them; yet he attacked her just so he makes it clear to them about who's in charge around here. There was just one question that everyone had in mind for those that didn't witness it: What the hell happened? You're going to see the confrontation between the son of a father who vanished the night Najira died and the tyrant who murdered his brother to take the throne before his nephew, before Simba returned to take back what Mufasa wanted him to have when becoming one with the former kings of the past to look down on all no matter the species; he took him on himself due to the bombardments of Zira's gloating and total refusal to drop it here and now with him. Let's begin with how the confrontation started shall we?

Jeyluxhal entered the den of Pride Rock where Scar had gotten up as it appeared to him that he can't take a nap without having to deal with hearing a report from one of his hyenas, so he stood up and told him: "You better have reason to intrude here at this time" Scar told him but didn't know that he was mute, the hyena came closer as he walked towards a wall where the ribcage of an antelope lied in a spot. Zazu's blood ran cold during this behavior as he doesn't know too much about him, he spoke to his ruler against his will and swallowed his pride for once

"He sure is the rude one isn't he? Not answering when he's being talked to, that someone whose not to be mentioned in the Pride Lands would chase him off; if the two ever met in person once. I don't like this, sire" He told him as though he showed usual disgust towards behavior like this, like mentioned before there's not much he can find on him based off his appearance

Jeyluxhal finally ripped the sharp ribcage bone out from the scraps before turning to face the brother who refused the right to acknowledge the name of their former king, still carrying his filthy and violent look towards him which Zazu had to look away because though he's not the one to at least spare a few words out of his mouth; he can make some of the most disturbing faces. Coming over with a weapon held, Scar only responded with this: "Are you angry, do you want to hit me? Go and do what you need, anything happens you're out of these lands. Your actions don't mean a thing to me..." Scar sounded like he was gloating him which Zazu pointed out

"Not a good idea to gloat him, sire; he's not going to spare the two of us now" The hornbill silently told him out of desperation as he looked like he was going to strike at any moment

"I certainly don't recall gloating him into hitting me with that weapon in his mouth" Scar pretended not to make that earlier warning to him and knew that he wouldn't even if he was one of them, his species to be clear

Zazu expected him to hit their king with the sharp bone he's using as a weapon, but alas it did not and never did come to pass as he instead just left the den seemingly having change of his idea; still he cannot ever be too careful as he shook his head: "I do not like this at all" He held a firm grip onto his beliefs that he was planning something

Zazu was right. As soon as he left there was a explosively loud whipcrack sound from outside, Scar leapt outside to find Jeyluxhal breathing vocally against his victim. It was his Queen, Zira who was taking the full brunt of his force as he smacked the leader of the Outlanders across a few times with blood being drawn from her lower lip. He then bashed her in the front skull as she remained stubborn and knew that this was because of her comments directed toward his kind. After one last smack to the skull he leaped into the air and broke the bone as it echoed with a loud whipcrack that splintered the structure into a sharp point he used to cut her, she then admitted to him that she was wrong and he didn't deserve her thoughts on him. Though she didn't actually mean it, her words were empty as her care for her children that were to be arriving not soon enough and especially to Kovu; for our hyena share the similarities but they are not the same as while he was soft mannered towards his mother, Jeyluxhal is ruthless for the discrimination directed towards him. Scar came down to confront him

Jeyluxhal turned back to snarled at both him and Zira seeing the lack of sincerity that she had in her face, Scar however was not intimidated: "You attack a Queen devoted to me the most and proceed to snarl to yours truly, such crudeness for one who pretends not to know who I am. Tell me: what patrol group are you with?" He asked as Jeyluxhal just slowed his vocal breathing, not responding aside from that face that's become familiarized towards the tyrant

"Explain it your own way then..." The hyena just stood there, not intimidated under the lion who demanded to know who he was. "You know this individual?" He asked a few of them as at least two of the hunting parties sent to hunt in the lands replied

"No, he's not one of ours" The first one replied

"Had me fooled for thinking he was our matriarch, no I don't think so" The second one responded as Scar had enough of this silent fury and unsheathed his claws

"Identify yourself, now...!" Scar came closer before stabbing his claws into him, increasing the pain until he decided to talk. Jeyluxhal threw him off before uppercutting him in the jaw, his face spelt out a fight and it's one that he will be getting alright. "My dear departed brother and nephew would've wanted a steady alliance when he passed his reign onto me with his dying breath, but I knew everything would not be as simple with the likes of at least one who openly rebels towards their ruler. You are unfortunate enough to have by all means earned the wrath of your king, we will deal this fight between us privately in the den" Scar put on a charade of what the will of Mufasa and Simba would've wanted, taking Jeyluxhal with him through biting into the den where he slammed him against the wall; beginning their fight

Jeyluxhal took the first strike as he blocked his claw swipes and rammed into upperchest, with a upperclaw to follow up on. Scar reeled back to headbutt him in return, stunning the hyena as he stumbled back as he could see multi-colored flashes with his eyes closed; regaining his sight to avoid a shoulder ram but getting backpawed to the floor where he bit him in the back of his neck in order to draw blood from him

The hornbill only gave a disgusted look at this fighting and was even more so when a single spec of the nameless hyena's blood somehow got it's way into his mouth, making him spit out the taste of copper onto the floor. It was just as foul as was the real truth of what killed their former ruler. Nevertheless this will not end the way he wanted it to end because judging from what attitude he showed, Scar did warn the trio that they'll be more than sorry for not being on patrol in the following deadline

Scar leapt onto the hyena's stomach to whom Jeyluxhal threw off to the side, lunging in with his claws where he swiped one against his right arm and another to his left hind leg. Countering the third swipe with his own to take him by the snout where his face was then smashed with a rock, breaking to pebbles in order to escape his grasp. Kicking him away from him where he can get back into the brawl that this was becoming, taking him by the mane and jumping to knee him in the face; he sent the tyrant stumbling backwards where he stood a distance from the nearest of the walls in the den

Jeyluxhal ran and leapt into a flying kick to send him slamming towards the west wall, claws gliding across his fur deeply after punching him directly in the snout to reveal his skin underneath. He launched him off and lunged toward his fallen body to land a series of maulings until he was stopped when he blinded him in the eyes with some pebbles

Jeyluxhal lunged after him with his fangs bared and claws extended out to tackle him down to the floor, spraying a few droplets of blood when he dug his fangs into his skin; pouncing on him further to hack up a bleeding mucus in his throat and spitting in his scarred eye as if it was some kind of taunt aimed towards his namesake scar on his eye. He took him by the throat and pinned him where he left some of his own wounds on his upperchest

Jeyluxhal struggled to breathe under his strength but learning that his brain was his most powerful weapon, he sought to break himself free of his crushing grip that was strangulating him. Pushing his hind legs into his body and kicking to take him off, Scar increased the pressure on his throat until he finally built up the strength to launch him off with one kick combined with a dump truck move to the abdomen; it was one that sent him to the floor on his left side. He and Scar were evenly matched but it's no use at this point, he made a run for the exit of the den

Scar ran after the hyena towards the exit before Jeyluxhal elbowed him in the snout to send him tripping on the floor, that was not enough to stop him from roaring as he lunged with his claws fully unsheathed and took him down to the floor; taking him back inside where he showed off just what a lion like him can do to a hyena. Smacking him to the floor on one side before doing the same to a wall with his torso in his mouth and ending it with a throw towards the outside, a moment of walking towards him as he took him by the head and threw his paw off; giving off a headbutt to the skull

All throughout this fight the two lost some blood and because of though the two were evenly matched, he was no match for the king of the Pride Lands and threw him to the overhang. Jeyluxhal was not giving up as he caught him off guard and threw him backwards, kicking him to the floor where he started to pound on him multiple times; even as Scar held his throat to strangulate him. He launched him off to a hard impact on the stone floor, where he's now coughing droplets of blood and letting out a short but painfully harsh yelp that sounded like his vocal cords were being shredded in a short matter of time. He let out a vicious snarl to him

"Disappointing to see that you remain as stubborn as he was before his misfortune led to death that's as untimely as your birth, evenly matched but I say so otherwise. Just as foolish enough to take on one such as myself and this is the result, you're no condition to fight me further. I had learned all about you of course during our skirmish, I did say that I don't trust the lionesses just as much as I don't trust your leader's clan. But don't worry about what I'll do to your matriarch if it comes to it that she's planning behind my back, I kept some things that I learned about you judging from the look in your eyes untold. Adieu" Scar bid him as he left the den of Pride Rock and strided off into what was once the savannah in the distance, needing to tend to his wounds

Jeyluxhal's skin was now drenched in sweat, cuts streaming with blood to replace his tsunami of slobber that went down from below his lips and having a bit of dirt in addition to weak breaths that vocally left his mouth and a hoarse tone to the air he took into his lungs. Taking this time to stand with a limp, he refused to meet the other lionesses in the face as all of them spelled the combination of both confusion and reprimanding his actions. Thinking that he came to take the throne had he defeated Scar because at this point they're desperate for a new king, one of them took the pleasure of scolding him directly in his face. A hyena would be no better as one than a pawn to Scar, which Jeyluxhal refused to be as he threw her off and walked off alone; throwing a few rocks to the ones who shook their lowered heads in disappointment. Having the trio come to approach and stop him in his tracks, Jeyluxhal only walked past them feeling remorseful and humiliated under the dirty looks he was given and it was all because of Zira's disrespect to him. To him this wasn't his fault, it was never his fault to start with and Shenzi understood that; even Banzai and Ed looked back on him as he just laid down on the top of Pride Rock steadily, he just wanted to be alone

Both he and Banzai seemed to have felt remorse for something, his actions being misinterpreted as being a failed attempt to arrogate the throne from Scar without reason and his rivalry with a hyena that he's continuously fought with and how he refused to call himself a father to him. It's just one bad day because he lived a hard life that he doesn't know about, no one but his father knows of the truth. Not even Rafiki as the following events in the Pride Lands overshadowed his existence as the son of one hyena respected even by lions abandoned and left his clan for dead to live out a life with his mate and child. Jeyluxhal has always been alone, he has no one to love and his one motherly figure cannot raise him the way that Najira did; he just wants to go back to sleep next to his mother and die as if he was a child that both Tabari and Najira could never have for themselves. Even then that's not stopping him from being born and turning into what they've wanted him to become, a hyena who will not let himself die like a mindless slobbering poacher in the eyes of the lions

All he could do now was sleep his wounds off as he's doesn't feel so well, truth be told he's been acting paranoid and moody these days. It's not because of Scar's reign influencing him, it's the second thing that's worse than that and it's about to make it's presence known to him

* * *

Jeyluxhal, the Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands had returned to his former self but in his dreams filled with repressed memories; there came a youthful but husk filled voice toned in the clear but authoritative as well as the gruff and the droning, all too sober fatherly type of voice that made him feel the same kind of warmth from within during a time when Mufasa reigned before the downfall of his brother's betrayal. He called out to his son as he wanted him to return back home to where he belonged. His mother's lullaby was heard which of course he was just a pup during that time and all of a sudden, his world was shaken by this tune and of course deep down inside his spirit he couldn't help but think that there was just always something wrong; something amiss that couldn't made it's presence known to him earlier and a little question that he had. It was about to alter his view on the Pride Lands for all time but it's not like it already has from the beginning thanks to the rise of Scar as their king and there being more to his rise that conspired with the blatant favoritism of his father towards the brother before him. The hallucination of his doppelganger was in fact his father that replaced the corpse of Mufasa back at the Wildebeest Gorge, uncovering one of the secrets that he wanted him to know. Wanting him to know that his father is alive, he was watching over him from the start of his new life with them and he was seeing it all when he grew into a great warrior like him. He felt his breath telling him to go back home, he needed to; not under his will nor his command but under the spirit that guided him

Awakening late in the night that was still young, he felt highly disturbed under the dreams that called out to him and walked down from the top of Pride Rock; a hallucination of Najira looking at him one last time before fading away into dust stood there. Fuck the silence, he started to run no matter if a hyena's hind legs were not fast; he needed to run. Past the lionesses and without control over himself smacked into Sarabi, looking as if he was pinning her down to the floor for her thinning patience of Scar's reign just when he got up; she saw the urgency in his face just as he saw the confusion in hers and helped her up before leaving without a word, paranoia seemed to have dominate his mind. She didn't even get the chance to ask him what was wrong, the trio had their own way of communicating with him just as the two of them had their way with their buddy Ed but not to him the others knew what went on. Seems like he's having some kind of inner meltdown of himself, Sarabi couldn't help but feel pitiful and just awful to whatever it was that's tormenting him in the inside; she looked back on where he last ran out towards. She was out here to give her respects to both her husband and son she assumed to have lost in the Wildebeest Gorge when he happened to run into her before speeding off ahead into what was once a lushful savannah. Sarabi returned to where she was paying her respects and prayed that he would not meet the same fate no matter the opposing species between a lion and a hyena like the two of them

Jeyluxhal slowed down into a short walk as he came to approach the Elephant Graveyard as it was there that he lived, he wanted to forget everything that happened and leave behind the troubles so he can replace them with happier memories. He continued running after walking for a short time and was just a moment away from reaching his personal den. Climbing up on several rocks to bumps as well as skidding across the bones on puddles with the sides turning to sprouting waves that drifted off to the sides and splashed on the reflective ground. Never stopping as he continued to run in the ravine and eventually running towards a six pillar rock formation where he passed through the small natural formation, climbing a few steps before running one last time towards the corner pillar rock at the wall; grasping it with his paws just as he stopped himself. Looking up at the sky and stroking the pillar he held onto, he decided to walk the rest of the way to his den

The sweetening perfumes of exhaust from the geysers that pumped throughout the district of the Elephant Graveyard filled his snout, soothing him as he returned to his den; everything is just as it was with him. Looking around with the lake, the overhang arch where he slept and a moment of softly stroking the animal skin over himself as if it was the comfort of his clan that awaited his return. Taking a bone from the ribcage as he held it in his mouth and pointed it to the paintings he drew on his wall, just like a true prince who would go into battle in Egypt. He felt a force of unease become a growing pain within him and backed up against the wall until he laid down against his back, he dug his head in himself and rested his forehead against his two knees; just needed time to think for himself on what to do next

He found himself in a tall field of bladed grass that grazed against the cold wind, swirling dark prussian to royal and independence blue clouds swirled overhead as if this was some kind of illusion. When it was mentioned that he found himself, he did mean it literally as he was just a faded ghost of the real one who was back at the graveyard. Having the abilities of flight, he headed towards Pride Rock where no time passed between his leave and his time to think to himself

On the horizon just behind the Pride Lands were a expansive landscape that housed the source of the voice calling out to him thanks to the frequency becoming clearer as he got closer to the north of Pride Rock. What treacherous and infernal trap awaited him there? This was not something he was prepared to discover and find out as he followed the frequency of the soothing voice. Leading him over to what looked like an abandoned home for whatever is the animal that lived, but it felt so nostalgic to him when he entered inside the dark shadows

Knowing that this was a illusion and that nothing was revealed out in the real world, he could feel limitless power that would give him the ability to forge speech to create his voice; it did not matter if he lacked one because as mentioned before this dream revealed nothing to the outer lands of Africa. So he started with his mind as he felt the most comfortable doing it that way rather than speaking directly:

"_Here I am..._" A soft spoken voice came out of him just as the one from before revealed to be a little more altered and raspy gave him instructions

"_Take the cobra fangs from your ears, for the shrouded den on which you were lured towards is of sacred ground to the both of us_" The voice told him as Jeyluxhal wanted to know who he was when the pebbles rolled towards his direction and asked him

"_Who are you...?_" Igniting as a hot flame but not consuming whatever it was that set on fire, it sprouted colors of mauve, violet, amethyst and heather with orchid and lilac purple; having the shades of tangerine, marmalade, tiger, fire and apricot orange added to the scene. Liquid flowing motion that impacted a wave of warm wind toward the hyena

"_I am everything that I am... I am the mate of the mother who bared the fruit that would with turn become the husk given life standing before me. You were born of her, Najira. You are a son who deserved better than this_" Jeyluxhal recalled when the voice of his father called for him to come back home and look where he was now, he removed his earrings as told

"_What do you ask of me?_" The voice responded with a few moments of breathing before it continued to talk to him

"_I have seen the oppression of the son I watched over in the shadows and have seen the kind of burden placed on him. It's time for me to come from out of the shadows and deliver him out of the repression of his memories and onto a good land, one that flows with the silk as well as the soft feeling of honey coursing in your blood. Thus unto the man who has watched over his son from behind the shadows throughout his childhood up until his earliest teenage years, I shall send you_"

"_You choose the unlikeliest of animals in the Pride Lands with repressed memories like mine to guide them don't you, who am I to know the truth? It's been long after I was taken by her_" Jeyluxhal's childhood felt like a eternity and even then he was still in his teenage years, he hasn't reached juvenile as of now and becoming an adolescent was just a waste of his time now

"_I chose yourself alone now and forever to aid the retribution that your mother needs as her final words spoke out to you, no one else can hear the two of us as this reveals nothing to the residents of the Backlands. Where you were given life to be clear, none of the lions there are upset nor feel that hyenas like you have no business living in this region of the serengetti_" The voice told him as the fires began to branch out into multiple flares slowly

"_That makes no difference because I hate myself, I was one of them in Scar's reign; I was the self-proclaimed Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands; the son of a woman who leads a clan that caused the stampede. I hate being a hyena now and I would've desired to be something else that none of the other lions discriminate because of their overhunting in the lands. You had chosen the wrong animal for my father and mother to give birth to me, Zira got away with it no thanks to Scar and the others thinking I was arrogating the throne so I can rule without a reason as to-_" Jeyluxhal was interrupted as the fires of the voice erupted into a burning red, orange, golden and purple flare that engulfed the darkness of the den to reveal how large it was compared to the outside

"_**Who made the mouth of a man?! Who has given birth to the hardest of hearing thanks to the likes of deafness, the silence of a man because of their unwilling muteness, the seeing of the surroundings around them and the blinded to substitute their eyes for their senses? If not I, then WHO?!**_" The voice boomed with a louder tone as if he was questioning his power and authority

Jeyluxhal was forced back into grasping the steps that led to the exit of the den, startled and frightened as the fury vanished from the voice before returning the den to it's shrouded state albeit now a little more brightened up. Though the fires engulfed this source it was not truly consumed as the flares branched out to become a hand, clasping around the sizzling fur that soothed the semi-rapid breathing hyena of his own anger that questioned his power and his authority; the voice had no intentions on leaving him alone to endure the further scorn of the lions who knew little to nothing about him. He was then carried to the center as the fires had surrounded everything, blowing past and through him

"_Jeyluxhal, know that there's nothing that you've done to anger I. Your father will be with you when you return to the Backlands, but much has passed since that night ago. So I shall extend a paw to you and smite those who have wronged you in the Outlands, take off with your own leave and farewell to the trio who doubt the brother of Mufasa; with your discovery of what conspired on that night, you shall begin to do create my wonders for the name of retribution. Though this will be the one time I meet with you directly, know that the final words of your mother will not be the burden carried on your shoulders; I shall forever scriven the destiny you choose with your newfound independence learned from your adopted mother. Always be brave in the darkest of hours, Jeyluxhal_"

The voice told him as he reached out the earrings on the ground to place back on his ears and stroked everywhere on him with it's warn hand, leaving sizzling entrails of smoke left on his fur. Slowly putting him down on the soft ground before vanishing with a echo of his name in the process, entering his snout to have him pass out on the same ground where he slept near Najira when he was just a pup. Jeyluxhal still knew that his real self was back at the graveyard and so, he'd awaken back in no time

With a few prolonged yawns as speaking with his mind had actually caused his throat to start engulfing itself in a storm of compressed steam in his lungs, being released as if he did start speaking when in reality he did not. Truth be told though it's not a speech disorder that he's had, it was something else that's better off being mentioned for another time. He went back into his thinking position with his head dug into his legs and returned to deep thought

* * *

Coming out from his deep thoughts and laying back on a wall where he rested his head on, he thought back to the mental conversation between the voice and himself before he came to a moment of wondering weather or not this did happen. He knew what needed to be done and so he took a branch with him before leaving, coating it in honey before setting it ablaze with the geyser vents that sprouted. Running out of the Elephant Graveyard so that he can return to Pride Rock

In the darkness where the lionesses were all asleep no one heard the hyena return with even worse paranoia than before, looking over to the den where he found the trio asleep; running off afterwards upon finding nothing at Pride Rock. He followed the path in front of him, a fork in the road that led him onto greater despair than what he had prior to his talk during his deep thinking. Finding a tall and thick baobab tree in the distance he could feel the blood within in the veins of his body run hotter until the greasy sweat started bathing him once more, that is where the source of knowing the truth was

Upon approaching however it was hollowed out as he headed inside the expansive tree, this is where he ran down a hall like room before stopping to look around; continuing on when he then ran through along the pillars as the only source of light that was the torch branch ignited his path. Lighting the way through the darkest of the night's cold air, it came to the point that he reached the narrow rectangular hole in the wall; throughout this time he was heaving out vocally as mentally talking in his mind didn't count as him speaking, that didn't come as close to what he believed he would sound like once. Nevertheless he entered the hallway that led him into a darker horizontally shaped but still expansive room, looking around before having been startled at the view that confirmed his suspicions

It was a graphic depiction of the night that Najira was gruesomely ripped apart by a pride who were exiled by Mufasa, the Outlanders led under the command of Baridi who was just as evil as he was ruthless. This art style known as Amarna were basic shapes used to form the hyena and lions in this picture, as well as the environment surrounding it all as he could remember that it was a sunset during that time. Seeing a group of animals that consisted of a jackal, a bat, a genet, a crocodile and a monitor lizard on the left side as they all looked upset while on the right there was his doppelganger who watched on in the shadows to the pup that ran off over to the Wildebeest Gorge that he lived in for six days until he was adopted by Shenzi. Jeyluxhal looked on for a few more moments before dropping the torch and dropping to his knees, placing his head against the painting while his eyes were closed; straining himself as well as his arm against the wall and vocally struggling to breathe

Moses had to face this hell of the inner demons back at Egypt, but he was no different than a hyena who experienced the same trauma of having his mother be ripped apart while he was still young. While he grew to know his mother even if he was still a pup at that time, all she would see is a haughty prince who would've dismissed her as a elderly woman who lost just an little more than her pottery; she lost her sanity as well. Nevermind the similarities of the two men alike, no matter be it Hebrew or Hyena; this moment in time is what mattered the most to the ones who've learned the hard life of this animal denied of a life he was supposed to live. He still felt alone when he was living with Shenzi's Clan

Sounds of footsteps echoed in a pitter and patter cycle before slowly stopping altogether, it's staff was then laid against the wall of the painting before a hand was placed on his top spinal cord; where he then moved a bit as if he was startled by his presence: "Our king exiled these evil and sacrilegious pantheras in his reign before Ahadi became one with the circle long ago, their actions were as treacherous as they were accursed; showing open defiance towards the great king Mufasa. They can have their laugh now that he has died, but our hope will not" He knew that voice as it was Rafiki, the mandrill who had come this way to soothe him of what's giving him stress

Jeyluxhal had nothing to say judging from how he didn't turn to face him, he let the mandrill continue on as Rafiki saw his response; having repressed all that trauma into nightmares and it's all resurfacing. He would not be as easy as it was for Simba to come to terms with the past since this hyena wasn't responsible for what happened back then, he was confronting those inner demons from within himself. He moved on to tell him this next

"Altered are some of the flashes that occurred in your sleep they were, but it was all just one futile attempt to keep you out of the truth. I will not act like I know the events transpired as your father that claimed to have been watching you grow from the dark shadows confirmed that he is alive and awaiting you in the Backlands. As I once told our now young adult heir a few several days of traveling to where he's taken refuge, the past can hurt but from the way I see it; you can either run or learn from it" Rafiki recalled the same words he told Simba just as Jeyluxhal slightly turned to face him

His face comprised of narrowed eyes, a mouth that was a little more closed but still opened just up at the front and still looking defeated with both his head down like he hated himself; as well as his body shifting a little more into his usual position but not looking anywhere his surroundings. He could be heard breathing from his nose and that expression translated to a face that looked like he didn't know what to do now. Rafiki had one more thing to tell him as he took him away from the painting so that he can remove him from those painful memories

"I know little of the life buried under the sands of time that he and Najira he called her that's better off turned to dust, but what I know of now will clear the troubled self you've grown to show loathing and contempt because of the treatment towards your species. While it is one ideology that though I will not force the Circle of Life unto you and it's one that you do not in your mind wish to follow under your paws, just know that the both of us are all connected no matter the principles. There's no business in wishing that you came from a different family of those whom the Pridelanders would respect, throw their judgment of your species away like how they threw away their chance to respect your kind and let them know that you and them live in the same land; differences do not matter to you, it's what your father asked me to tell you should we meet in person" Rafiki taught him as Jeyluxhal stood up, head still down but it looked less frightened before turning to face him

His expression was bolder but not smiling as his eyes looked a little more narrower, nodding at him as he understood the mandrill's words; hell he came close to curl his neck around for a quick nuzzling stroke as if he was grateful for him. Turning back to leave the cave as Rafiki had left afterwards. Jeyluxhal knew that it was time for him to leave the Pride Lands, he could not stay with Shenzi's Clan anymore as Simba's destiny was coming to a end; it was here that he's remembered his place and came to take back the throne from Pride Rock. Scar's judgment is how it starts and should he attempt to shift the chaos unto the work of the hyenas, that's how it will end. A great fire down to the wasteland caused by the storms of the sky will ignite and thus, the Battle of Pride Rock begins!

* * *

The last action that Scar would ever commit against Simba was to strike her mother Sarabi, all for the fact that she called him inferior to his brother. With the hyenas aiding him on his side, the Battle of Pride Rock began with a swarm of both them and the lionesses attacking while it was here that Simba went after his uncle. Leading to the top peak of the rock as Jeyluxhal just walked on through, not afraid of the fire that began to consume the dried out flora around his vicinity. He needed to talk to his mother right now, he needed to fix the errors that thanks to him were what caused his rivalry with Banzai; the hyena who refused to call him his son after being taken in

Nala confronted Jeyluxhal as she stood in his path, swiping her claw against his cheek just as he was running which stopped him as he spiraled to the ground; having leapt out of nowhere to ambush him. "End of the line, hyen- Jeyluxhal was it? Couldn't pick a better name that's not a pain to remember correctly" She stopped for a brief moment before remembering his name as she heard a few of the hyenas mention his name couple of times, when it was not him who gave himself that name

Jeyluxhal just bared his fangs and kicked her off, giving off his expression that told her off as he did her no wrong. During her time in the Pride Lands, she like the other lionesses started to understand whatever expressions he made translated to; Nala just shook her head when he read him. His face also told her that he's not coming for either of them, but that to her it didn't matter one way or another. Though when she saw Jeyluxhal step up with another face that called her a tough lioness and told her to kill him then, she stopped herself from continuing on as she had to admit something to him before breathing out; she wanted to tell him awhile back during the years when he did nothing but keep to himself and stayed the hell out of their way, relenting for a brief moment

"No... I don't hate you anymore but there's no law in the Pride Lands that forces me into having to like you, I'll admit you've done nothing wrong to me over the endless days and nights of this famine. But I have to stop you, even if that means Simba doesn't win this battle" Nala showed some regret in her voice as this hyena had done nothing to upset her, but she remained firm that Simba will defeat Scar as she had full faith in him

Jeyluxhal knew that there was just no way out of this before having to take on the full force of the lioness before him, but perhaps not as she moved in to attack; with him dodging this lunge. Leaving her to stop herself from skidding further as she turned, only to find that he's moving on ahead; "It's not worth it..." She let him go for now and went to help Sarabi in the battle as it was coming to quite the end sooner than expected, the battle continued on as it would only be a matter of time before Scar's fate was sealed

Dodging the chaos and ignoring all kinds of burning fires around him, he focused on ahead as he could see that Shenzi and her comrades had corned both Timon and Pumbaa; apparently it was here that the duo were stalling them until the tunnel was completed. He stood behind at that time and snuck around to find a better place where he was close to them, not spotted at all through the burning bushes or the raging infernos that were devouring Pride Rock itself. A few moments passed as he finally came out but with horrible timing on his side, when our all lovable but desperate meekrat had come to no other choice but to propose to her

"Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jacquelina Hyena - would you do me the honor of becoming... my bride?" Timon looked genuine but his voice spoke otherwise as the trio reacted with shock before the matriarch replied

"I don't think so!" Her voice was still in shock

"Shenzi-Marie, please I know what you're thinking: 'We're too different/It'll never work/What will the children look like?" Timon

"Ooh that violates so many laws of nature!" Now she was just utterly disgusted though Banzai snuck himself a split second lenny face for a moment

"Listen to me, the problems of a couple of wacky kids like us don't amount to a hill of termites in this nutty circle of life thing. And so I ask you: If not now, when? If not me, then who? I'm lonely" Banzai realized that this was an attempt to stall them, so he suggested to skip the wedding and go straight for the buffet at the aftermath

Jeyluxhal can't listen in to another second anymore, his blood ran the coldest through his veins and sweat once again greased all over him before dripping onto the ground. He still held feelings towards her even as he understood that she was too old for him, and he had felt like he was betrayed the one that he thought he fell in love with. His expression was of little shock and more sorrowful anger, heaving heavily with the weight on his chest bringing him down slightly. He then became consumed by jealousy, coursing through his skin and the worst had come to him when he became ever so devoured under the megalomania of the one feeling he did not want to show. Overwhelming jealousy took control of his emotions and it's spelt out right in front of his face, he wanted to rush out and confront Timon but what good is that meaningful to him? It was not worth it in the slightest, he turned away and headed back to where the hyenas were; fighting back the tears as he still loved her and he can't resist this passionate lust drive anymore. Though he looked more angry towards him than saddened that she would choose the meekrat over him

Soon the hyenas fell into the trap set up by Ma and Uncle Max as that was the last they'd see of them for now. "Argh!" Shenzi slid through the tunnel followed by her comrades. "Shit!" Banzai yelled while also hearing Ed's hysterical laughter

"I bet that he's enjoying this right now, damn that meekrat!" Shenzi thought bitterly to herself

Soon landing as Banzai hit rock bottom, he waited behind looking for the others; finding Ed running up to him as most of the hyenas were off fighting the lionesses, Shenzi found them as she limped a little bit towards them. Throwing her leg off a little bit before she heading up to the peak of Pride Rock, tail wagging back and forth

"Look, there he is and fighting Simba already" Banzai hissed at the sight

"Better stay back until it looks like he needs us, then we'll attack from behind" Shenzi gave the order as the three of them peered through the smoke, grinning maliciously until this happened

Scar attempted to scapegoat the trio into having his nephew believe that they were the true enemies while he was family, leaving them to growl angrily as they backed off; running down to the area where the others were tending to their wounds and taking cover. Shenzi informed them all that their king has betrayed them, shifting the blame onto them for the state of the Pride Lands and using them as pawns. All reacted disgust and others wanted a little more than payback. Jeyluxhal was among them as he just sat there buried with his head in his knees, still overcome with jealousy to which she could see in his eyes. This must've been because of Timon's proposal to her, no matter as she approached him

"I know you heard that meekrat try to propose to me as his bride, guess you've tried but couldn't put your feelings towards me to rest huh?" Shenzi told him as Jeyluxhal looked betrayed but nodded to her, standing up to face her with a expression that told the matriarch that came back to fix some things that happened because of him; most notably his rivalry with Banzai. She couldn't ask him what happened as he walked past her to approach him, still steaming with fury over working with Scar only to be stabbed in the back as a reward to the amount. All those years of friendship were in vain, he heard one of the hyenas approaching him and knew who it was. Banzai bared his fangs against him as he was past the point of giving a damn anymore about what happens. "Go ahead and shove it in our faces that Scar was a traitor to the clan, but I will bite that neck and tear out those veins if it's the last thing I do for him" His voice sounded like he wasn't going to attack him but as soon as he moved closer, his actions spoke otherwise

When he rushed in he took him at the paw and threw it off to the side, shoulder ramming his back. Banzai tried to lunge at him but Jeyluxhal took him closer where he simply wrapped his arms around him, just curling his neck around his while his breathing was rattling a little more clearer than before. His face told him to let go of his rivalry, he's not here to fight him; they're through with the reign of Scar. All he could do now is to throw aside their years of fighting, so the two of them can have their revenge on him together. It took several minutes until he was calm enough to return the favor, softening up on Jeyluxhal and admitting this to him: "I could never bear to see you dead along with Shenzi and Ed all because he found out Simba is alive the entire time" Jeyluxhal let go of his body before coming over to Ed, giving his farewell to him while he simply returned the favor; not laughing at all but still absent of the reality that surrounded him

Shenzi had then led the clan just below Pride Rock after witnessing Simba throwing Scar atop from the peak, landing with a hard impact as the trio arrived in time; the clan were waiting in the smoke on her orders. Feeling the most betrayed out of them all, the trio moved forwards first hand as Scar struggled to his hind paws; upon seeing them he had to smile smoothly. "Ah, my friends..."

"Frie-he-hends? Heh, I thought he said we were the enemy!" Shenzi snarled viciously as Ed had a very angry look on his face

"Yeah, that's what I heard..." Banzai agreed through clenched fangs

"Ed?" Shenzi/Banzai both chorused

Ed had not been smiling nor laughing throughout this time as he remained silent, but when it came down to what the trio heard Scar say about them; he was smart enough to give off a hell on earth sinister chuckle that was a far departure from his insane but benevolent giggles that gave off the signs of a mentally impaired hyena to all the young cubs who come to enter their territory. Licking his chops as Scar realized that his attempts to shift the blame and scapegoat the others would be his downfall, Jeyluxhal looked at Simba who witnessed the scene before turning back to Scar as he was being cornered from by the clan who followed Ed's example. A greater time of his cold blooded dark side shined on through when he gave out one hell of an sinister smirk that only he could pull off. Mirthless and starving, he could hear Shenzi tell her comrades: "Look at that boys, a king fit for a meal!" Those were the same words she said after Simba and Nala had fell through the weakened strip of flesh, cornered with Zazu when under her breath so the victims couldn't hear what she told both them both

"No. L-L-L-Le-Le-Le-Let me explain. No. You don't understand, no! I didn't mean for... no; no! Look, I'm sorry I called you.. no! NO!" Although nervous as Scar was as the hyenas cornered all sides to block his escape, he fought a few of them off as a last resort; taking one after another before being dogpiled on as Shenzi leapt first to rip out his windpipe, throwing it to feed the flames while Banzai took him at the back and Ed shattered his right hind leg to cripple him. All throughout the massacre Jeyluxhal jammed both eyes out with his claws before ripping out a large chunk of his flesh with his fangs, now stained with the blood of the king before ripping his back open for him to devour; joined by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed along with the rest of the clan

The inferno engulfed the gruesome death that echoed with cries of protest that have fallen unto deafened ears and blinded eyes, rising with the fury of his betrayal towards them; this must be how revenge feels to Jeyluxhal but it was as cold as Scar was to them. Shenzi took all hyenas out from the fires to escape while the skies remained scarlet until the rain started to douse the lands and rejuvenate the lush green fields that have since become a barren land of lost hope. The hyenas had fled the Pride Lands as Shenzi took her clan in search of better hunting grounds, though the others knew that this was not the last they'd see of them

* * *

Breathing out with a rattle that had gotten worse in his vocal cords, Jeyluxhal turned to face Shenzi who stood in front of him; his nose touching hers in that instant as if she knew that it was time for him to leave. It was the hardest choice he had to make and thus, he told her all of the events that transpired with him beginning with his dreams that startled him awake to the point of being overwhelmed with a megalomania of jealousy upon seeing Timon make a futile proposal to his enemy. Shenzi listened to it all in the silence and understood him with the expressions he made, adding in his language the acts he played out to help further let her know everything

Paled and letting the humiliation cloud how he felt, he tried to turn away until she took him by the collar; giving off a narrowed eye smirk that she mimicked from him. Fully closing the distance between him and herself as Banzai and Ed watched from behind a rock, former had an smile on his face while Ed returned to his usual self now that their revenge is completed. Jeyluxhal gave her a expression that told Shenzi that he will miss her, which she returned in response: "I knew a time like this would come, but that doesn't mean I won't miss you either; thanks again for listening to everything I told you about myself all this time" Jeyluxhal gave a nod in return as he moved away

Jeyluxhal's next expression told her that no matter where he takes himself off through the direction of the road branched with forked pathways, she will always be his mother as he let himself wrap his arms around her as a farewell. Slowly licking his cheek while he did it to her in return, he then did it towards both Banzai and Ed as his farewell; even leaning into her ear whispering to deliver what he showed using his facial expressions. It was time for him to get going as he started heading in the direction of the northwest of Pride Rock in the distance, a short moment with him turning back to face the trio who watched on; unfortunately he could not stop himself from shedding a crystal clear tear that streamed down on his face, which the trio could see with his back turned. About six droplets fell to the ground as well at that time

"Hey, come on take it easy; I'm not letting a son of mine get all sappy on us like this" Banzai comforted him to which Jeyluxhal nodded one last time, walking out of the Pride Lands as the hyena began shutting out the events that transpired such as the ascension of Simba as the true king and his roar of courageous triumph that allowed the sun to shine down on his drenched mane. The voice of his father's words to remember echoed towards him while the words of Jeyluxhal's father echoed in his mind

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed looked back on Jeyluxhal's departure in the coming rain that calmed all of the flares as well as even the most ferocious infernos of the barren landscape region in the seregetti. Breathing one out and leaving with the rest of them as she knew that though she is undoubtful to her that she didn't think it would come to this, she loved him like a real son as if he was born to them and returned his feelings of love towards her to have remember the mother that raised him. But that's just her and she's become quite the mother to him if she's not dealing with having to accept the shit thrown at them by Scar overtime, she's glad to have had him in the clan. "Goodbye, Jeyluxhal..."

Jeyluxhal left behind the only family he ever had, where he was going he did not know just as the voice that never was in his mental borders conjured another tune sung by him:

(A/N: Following the death of Chester Bennington that haunts fans like us, I decided to use Jared Halley's Acapella cover of Linkin Park's Shadow of the Day as that seemed like most appropriate song to use in his self-exile and departure from Shenzi's Clan. I'm also using the Arsenal-Fox's clear and unaltered voice as the basis of Jeyluxhal's voice that never was, I will explain who the Arsenal-Fox is at the end of the long chapter)

_(Beat: Doodoodoo, doodoodoo, doodoodoo, dooodoodoo)_

_I close both locks below the window_

_(Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh)_

_I close both blinds and turn away_

_((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh))_

_Sometimes solutions aren't so simple_

_((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh))_

_Sometimes goodbye's the only way_

_((Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh... ohhhh!))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(__((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_The sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_And the shadow of the day_

_Will embrace the world in grey_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhh...!)))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_..._

_..._

_In cards and flowers on your window_

_((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh))_

_Your friends all plead for you to stay_

_((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh))_

_Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple_

_((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh... ahhhh))_

_Sometimes goodbye's the only way_

_((Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh... ohhhh!))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_The sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_And the shadow of the day_

_Will embrace the world in grey_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhh...!)))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_..._

_..._

_And the shadow of the day_

_Will embrace the world in grey_

_((Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh... ohhhh!))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_..._

_..._

_And the shadow of the day_

_Will embrace the world in grey_

_((Ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh... ohhhh!))_

_And the sun will set for you_

_(((Ahhhh, ahhhh, ahhhh...!)))_

_(Fading Beat: Doodoodoo, doodoodoo, doodoodoo, dooodoodoo...)_

All throughout the Pride Lands everything rained down on him like the day that Najira suffered through the pain of labor, his father was there when she needed him of the most desperate of times; in the aftermath he was given life and once the time of him first opening both eyes that was when he met her loving face. It stopped on the rain's end right there and right now. Jeyluxhal never looked ahead of him as he just headed behind Pride Rock and out towards the darkest of the night, clouds of the same color as when he first conversed with the voice that would be referred to as God taking on the impression of his father's voice to soothe him of the fears that cornered him in what he felt like his darkest hour. Simba took the throne as his and was now in control of the Pride Lands as King just like he was anticipating when he was just a cub, that mattered little to the hyena known as Jeyluxhal for as he roamed the seasonally live sprouting raining lands; he came to lower his head and let his sleep guide him to a new horizon beyond the borders of the land

* * *

Later that morning as the rain was lighter on him than the burden of leaving behind the family he lived with, Jeyluxhal's sparrow attention struck him harder as he was left in a state of confusion of where he was; a common trait of him when he mindlessly roams without the context of wherever he goes. That battle had taken a toll on him by stripping him of sleep as his awakening about 4 hours later when the moon came down left him in such a state, at last he stopped himself when he fully woke up; spewing the tsunami of slobber built up from his mouth onto the ground

Where he stood was the home he had come to grow with his father and mother he loved out of all the animals who lived here, everything felt so unfamiliar with him but it felt consumed under the impression of nostalgia; his repressed memories were leading him here. He went on ahead to enter the borders of what was known as: the Backlands, the birth of Jeyluxhal is where the burrow den that had been kept intact but as not seemed to be inhabited for the longest time that he first saw this place. It's ruined structure lured him there. He felt a great sensation of both nostalgia and pain that he cannot put a paw on, faded childhood drawings and remnants of toys built by paw were next to the walls inside

This burrow den that had stood since Jeyluxhal had been born was walled off with rocks, laid against them was sticks and leaves that had been plastered with mud to fill in the cracks; the fallen logs were used as supports on the outside as there were two on the sides of the entry way while one was laid atop of the rectangular shaped entrance that led down a ramp and a pair of two long and wide steps into the actually bigger den in the inside than outside. Even the rooftop was covered in leaves, sticks and a large rock to place over to shield them from a unfavorable weather in the Backlands. However the logs had also grown moss on them with mossy vines that had long streams of them bleeding downwards, the age was questionable but it seemed to have been built when his parents left behind their lives to be buried under the sands of time. This den was reinforced further when heated mud formed a protective to durable shell underneath the grass that planted it's roots underneath to absorb the water, it was here that a few tall blades of them grew around as well and the burrow was now apart of the earth itself. Just like Pride Rock, this would not go down even in the hardest of blows by ballistic frontal forces

Jeyluxhal looked inside before coming into the burrow den, a shine of the peacock to ocean and teal blue sky peered down towards the spot where his mother sat near him when he first woke to see her beautiful face. Looking at the wall he found that some of the stains of time did not go as there were still splinters of china berry red and three year old oxidized copper brown colored blood from his mother. Looking at the washed out paintings he made when he was young as well that made him smile, shedding a tear onto the stone ground that dried as it made contact with it. Yeah, he did draw this as a pup and at last the Shadow of Moses that has come to him which was a sign that the best has yet to come had arrived when he turned back; finding the doppelganger that revealed itself to him with the rise of the sun in the horizon, it was peaking out faintly so it wasn't there just yet

The raining sky remained as dark as ever with it's dark space and yale edged blue colored clouds, the coldness of the peaking light that was a teal and prussian as well as turkish blue while in the distance was a sky and maya blue color. Everything else was shrouded in the shadows. Jeyluxhal's doppelganger revealed himself as his father, the hyena who came to be known as Tabari; showing a more matured but youthful and experienced stature. He had the looks and his distinctive traits

Tabari was the long haired father of Jeyluxhal, appearing as taller with a stubble fade around his muzzle along with self-groomed whiskers that quilled out downwards to the sides as well as curved down horizontally to the left and right respectively. Like his son there were scars of his fights and battles that bathed him, scufflings between his enemies with his fangs stained with their blood; both spots and stripes all over him as he was the son between a spotted and striped hyena. Living up to his name he was a historian of tales that he would tell to anyone be it his or another kind. His mane was slicked downwards while his ears were smoother as opposed to his son's curled tipped ears, which he still had on the ends but that's not what it was that mattered to him. Having the same features he had while his son had his mother's faint red tinted mane, his eyes were much more narrower while his brown eyes were fiercer and showed some muscle to his body. He sat across from his son who looked relieved but had instead collapsed to his knees while looking up into the sky light that peaked through on the roof. Finally, it was his voice that was like that of God which is what he was hearing all this time; soothing and fearsome like he believed back then with the barbs of his fur spiked backwards and adorning a unbroken spirit even after the death of his beloved mate

However without warning the hyena rushed in to attack as Jeyluxhal was ready to defend, but instead he hugged him with the same feeling that Banzai had when he did the same to him before leaving; releasing his paws on his back before having them on his shoulders. He breathed a few seconds until he spoke to him: "Tajiuva... or as I should rechristen you as the split mirror image of myself, Jeyluxhal. Son, it all started with a bunch of old fools who roam the Outlands; this is the time that I must tell you of the clouded truth behind who you are. I have watched over you as Rafiki said and have missed you so much, come out of the shadows and join your father to roam the once barren lands plagued under the fallen brother's rule" Tabari asked him as Jeyluxhal nodded, walking close to him like he did when he was young

The weather started to slowly stop the soaking thirst that the seregetti was in deep need of as the two of them walked through, passing by the animals who took shelter and were asleep as of this time. "At the time of her sacrifice I have been absent, knowing that I come to take a risk in hunting down the one responsible for informing him of where we lived out the rest of our lives in an state of peace. His name was Baridi who as cold as the meaning of his name suggested all for others to know, his lustful drive for having me pay for a betrayal I myself had committed has brought nothing but a fate that saved the innocence of our son that now I can raise as a father that you never had. There's not much I can tell about at this moment but I am willing to speak about the truth next thing in the morning" Tabari told of his absence and the fate of the true mother who loved him as Jeyluxhal looked away shamefully, remembering the night she had been ripped apart. Just as the two of them passed the group of where the residents slept, though no sign of them were seen

"She never wanted you to worry of the consequences that came with the abandonment of an clan that's better off to be left buried in the dust where the wind blows it away, I loved her as much as the youthful pup you once were did. So much for I to let her spirit share the same as her body to be cut and ripped to pieces under the claws of the lion, falsifying their delusional lies that he and the pride were sent to deal with rogue hyenas such as I and her; all under the commanding presence of Mufasa. A bitter aftertaste of cold served apathy is what was left to stay with that night when the sun was coming down to await a new dawn. Neither of us were one of them and that should've been a sign that I held this feeling from the start of our time, the tales of her being left for dead were true as we hyenas know that we have no business in intruding upon the affairs of the Pridelanders and thus we keep to ourselves. The Circle's did us no favors in tipping the scale to their side and leave us with the worst of the brunt forces, even as we may respect it our own way. Know that she has not left you behind and neither I will do the same, she and I are always with you; son" Tabari recalled and assured his son that this was never their fault because the Outlanders had did this, Baridi gave the order to the pride and he was going to face her wrath

Tabari and his son Jeyluxhal passed the watering hole where he first met Kuplinka, a jackal in his childhood whom he hasn't seen since he bid him a farewell when the two went off in the separate directions where their respective parents were taking them back home. Tabari saw that distant look in his eyes when he couldn't stop himself from focusing on the same place he made his first friend. His son turned to him with a expression that asked him about if he ever made friends with the children of his age there, the father nodded in response:

"That's right I took you myself to the Backlands watering hole so that you can find someone to play with, that was just to keep the routine of the various days passing by in Mufasa's reign at bay; thinning to the edge of taking hazardous risks to where one act of disobedience would in return come to a time when death was just a slip away. There's a thin line between being like a brave lion like his father and bravado like he truly showed in the face of danger, he walked that line back in the Elephant Graveyard with Nala; he was as blind to the assassination plots masterminded by his fallen uncle just as he was a fool to step beyond the borders into where the shadows lie. Your friends however saw the fate of my beloved but there's no sign that in conclusion that you followed her to the grave, I remained silent when asked about you and it came down to the thin iced line where I told them that you're out there somewhere where a fruitless battle began; having to take my place and contact help for the heaviest losses so that they can turn the tide of their battle" Tabari revealed the truth to his friends, Jeyluxhal had to tell them something of course so he had nothing to hide from them

Exploring the few areas of the Backlands to know where everything and the residents were, a long moment of silence stalled them as they stopped at the bluff of the canyons, Tabari saw a look in his son's eyes that appeared as if he was ready to continue moving on but fell over; he caught him with his paws. Telling him this next:

"You can go no further than I son, there is still time to rest fully before the rise of a new dawn in where Simba can start the beginning of his new rule. Kuplinka's father is still in contact and I never stopped talking to him over the time that went on without seeing you in person, until the point comes where the real fate to be revealed to the friends you've played and stood up for in your childhood; rest assured knowing that I will tell them whenever you're ready to go out there and out from the shadows of the land, come back with me at the den and rest your head against my torso as you've done in your years as our pup" Tabari asked of him as his son looked up to nod, though was too exerted in his condition to respond well

Jeyluxhal understood everything now: Najira's gruesome fate, his father's absence and Baridi leading a pride of Outlanders against them. This was that lion's bitter grudge that brought his family a message that states there's no peace for the hyenas of the Backlands, he didn't think it would come to this. Once the father brought back his son to the burrow den, he looked up at him with near reflective glassy like eyes that looked as if he was about to beg for him not to be left alone; not again since he lost his mother no thanks to that lion of the Outlands. He slowly came down to his knees before burying himself in his father's underbelly, his father knew that expression before and placed a paw on his back to tell him this in a soft spoken tone: "It's why I'm here..."

The father and the son curled around each other too exhausted for one another to lap both of their tongues against their cheeks more than once, Jeyluxhal stood tall with determination as he slept; because if he is to ever have his nemesis Baridi pay with the blood of his mother on his paws, then he will need to lure the Outlander out of the safe comforts of his home by making himself be infamously known in the Pride Lands

The retribution for the Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands starts right now...


	5. Judgement Never Matters

(A/N: To give the readers a special idea of what Tabari's voice sounds like I've chosen both of David Lodge's False Igor from Persona 5 as the main base with the gruff softness to accent of a YouTuber named Dr. Creepen who narrates both of the scariest and haunting ghost stories, in the exception that his accent's more American with his original being thrown into the mix; oh and Master Eraqus to mellow out the main base itself. It's not too bad for what I can imagine him sounding like as he's a father after all. Now for this, an chapter like this will begin with a cold opening that shows the relationship between Tabari as well as Jeyluxhal reuniting with his friends but that's not the purpose of the chapter; my main focus is to establish him meeting with a special one in this story. If you've seen the show that was called The Lion Guard then you will see that they all make their appearances here, Jasiri to be exact; the idea's supposed to be for Jeyluxhal to find somebody that he can love. He of all hyenas need the comfort of a woman after his mother was ripped to shreds, and he chose to leave his adopted mother's clan because of his destiny for retribution. Plus, I think that the two of them would have some good chemistry like a little tomboy of a girl and a rather dark as well as silent but teddybear like early teen whose not known for showing affection easily; just hiding all that love for someone like her and suppressing emotions like that clearly has a nasty backfire whenever it happens. Ah but you'll learn more about it when we start this here so get ready for more, Enjoy)

A new sun from the line that separates the earth on the horizon had come in the earliest hour as it was here that the newly reunited father to son were resting with each other in the place that he couldn't be more comfortable living in. Tabari was the first to awaken as he looked on where his son slept, coming down to his ear to tell him: "There is not much that have changed in the Backlands, I would like to see you outside but I will not be far from our home; come on out whenever you feel ready to continue where we left off, there isn't much to see as there was in the early hours of the night" He then lapped his tongue on his eye before leaving with silent steps to the exit. A month has passed since Simba's ascension to the throne and exactly three months after Kiara was born, Kopa was out on a journey but he'll back so no worries 'bout that; that doesn't mean his son likes the son of the same name because that happened to be one of those that sounded catchy but holy hell did it turn out to be way more obnoxious than what the listener remembers. The Outlanders were exiled in a few days while two weeks later came a presentation ceremony as prior to that, both Kovu and Vitani were born two years later while Scar evaluated his son as his heir a month later. As for Kion he was born a month after his sister, still there ain't nothing to worry about as Kopa will be back from his journey. Tabari told his son that they would continue their tour but wanted his son to take the time to heal, become familiarized with all-new and alot more lushful environments as well as hear the stories of when he and Najira were together

His eyesight dulling out to a clearer translucent flesh red color from his eyelids, both of which flicker slowly as he managed to open them completely; looking around where he was. That is the first time he felt truly refreshed just like when he was a pup, getting up he looked under himself seeing his underbelly sway off to the sides lightly and breathed out through his snout upon stretching; he did have to wonder how his friends, that is if he had any that he could in his right mind call them friends were up to. Sitting down while letting out a prolonged yawn, looks like it was time for him to get a move on with his father; coming outside ignoring harsh and radiant rays of light from the sun on the horizon, he found Tabari waiting for him close by as he never left the burrow den. Just like he did with Shenzi, he stuck close to his side behind him as he never wanted to leave him once; this act of shyness as well as his reserved and the introvertedness was nothing new to Tabari as he encouraged this behavior, he knew that he would be willing to open up to newer opportunities like he was before. Thus, the father and son walked off together to begin their morning and savor whatever was left before the rest was for him to spend

Continuing off to where the father and son were at the canyons of the Backlands, Tabari took notice of how much fur that grew on him; seeing how there were no one else to see the two of them he decided that this would be a good time to modify his look a little bit. Coming over to curl around him he started off through grooming his muzzle underneath his jaw to give him the same spruce tree shape that spiked off toward the sides five times with each one being a bigger one than the last until it made up his entire, to be specific it's the usual christmas tree shape that was basic looking; it's really just narrowed down triangular shapes stacked atop of each other before becoming a full shape altogether. Fading off the sides like his stubble as it grew on him, now he had a chest floof that was not bushy like a squirrel's and cat's tail such as Oliver when he passed through an airvent in New York City for example but just simply in his words: "flooffeh" so why should he worry? He also slicked back some fur on the far edges of his eyes to make them dual pronged like a genet's and smeared some faint facial markings as if they were tattoos. He would continue this for another time as he entered near Badili's Tree though the cheetah himself of the same name was nowhere to be found, he's out hunting to be exact as Tabari will just leave it at that since he's got more on his mind

"This traitor who revealed the location of where we took to living out the rest of our days in a state of peace was none other than a ice pigeon informant, a nameless one who snitched to a devil like Baridi. Our history though buried will be told in time to know the truth, but I see to it that there was alot more to be taught as the time goes on; the absence of I on that night has to be known. I never went to the Sehemu Pass to hunt down elephants who've trapped their selves in between the narrowed rocks, I tracked the snitch down to the boiling hot tarpit like mud swamps of the Chenkundu Cliffs; while he just let himself have a broken bladder seep into the dried soil in need of rain rather than piss upon brandishing my claws at his throat, I gained the information I needed as he informed Baridi of where they were. Throwing him to the slop of filth that bubbled on the earth, I gave him one hell of a fate that was meant for an pigeon who thought that everything was his to excrement on as if he dominated the lands; he was to be swallowed by his self-interest greed. His throat was slit and I left him for death as it boiled down to being swallowed under the mud, no one would mourn that untrustful pigeon and not even Baridi himself..."

Jeyluxhal snarled at that pigeon who didn't deserve a good riddance from him, nevertheless he continued to follow his father close like his days as a pup before that nightfall; he went to a few locations that neither of them could go due to nearly passing out as it was a long night of repressed memories. Locations included the Acacia Woods, Dhahabu Grove as well as the Mirihi Forest. At that time was when Tabari ended his walk with his son, telling him this next as he sat down: "There is a zebra named Dhalimu (tyrant) who has been harassing the friends you have made back then, back then as he started ten weeks ago after being adopted by the matriarch of the clan; you have nothing to hide and neither do I to them. They've told me the location where they were going off to, Dhahabu's Watering Hole whose monitored under the golden zebra herself. I ask of you to take the rest of the day for yourself to spend, know your surroundings of both the familiar and the unknown that separates the borders; return to the burrow den whenever you need me"

Jeyluxhal thought back to the time when he had friends of his own, coming to the clear truth that he was led under repressed memories since being adopted by the mother that he fell in love with but could never have; knowing now of the fate that befell his real mother. Finding out that he did make friends from the past, all of them stood against their bullies no matter how much inner rage he built at their insults towards his silence; this scared them off thanks to being intimidating with just his facial expressions and nothing more as well as nothing less of their cowardly nature within. He turned to his father in order to give his response as a nod, wanting to clear the rest of his mind back at the burrow den

"Then you have my leave to go, I should see you as of nightfall; later than that will do as my son has faced punishment enough in the form of discrimination under the lionesses of Pride Rock, and the actions of the Outlanders before the return of our new king" Tabari nuzzled his face as he turned away, Jeyluxhal curled his neck around him before leaving him to watch on his departure; knowing full well that he will encounter his friends but will not respond to the attempts that are made to make him remember. He has the answers they want to know as he did tell them that he left to join fruitless conflicts between animals

Jeyluxhal roamed through the Backlands' soft grazing grass where the animals paid no mind to his presence as his father wanted nothing of prejudice between him and them, he was an intimidating hyena enough even when he was a calm figure as he made it clear to all that he desired to not be involved with the lions thanks to the stigma against a kind like him so how can they not refuse of course? Hell, he called them out on the term racist is meaningless due to how everything is about what kind of animal they are; this is no different from a human at all. In the case of the animals however this is because of fear, overhunting and just acting as if it's them that has dominance over them rather than the lion hierarchy; in their eyes there have been exceptions when all of them follow the Circle of Life while there are those who would live off the survival of the fittest philosophy. Unfortunately, this flanderization has backfired with an nasty recoil of misconceptions in what stories are told; neither of that is what mattered the most to Jeyluxhal but it was the truth that's remembered the least

Finding the watering hole, he approached as some of the animals were new to these lands as such with all rights and no bigotry backed off from him in fear of what he might do; amplified worse when covered in faded scars that never left. It's those shares of battle that were his to wear as tattoos. Taking a drink he turned back to leave as he contemplated on what's left for him to do next, this was not as easy as it was in Shenzi's Clan as he always gave her an special treatment just so he wouldn't be chased out; that was until his talk with her about not letting himself be an advantage taking tool for granted to others when they seize the opportunity. In a sense he looked down at his claws, deciding that he could sharpen them as it seems to be a popular trend for both the lions and the cheetahs to do; if he could do it in private so that no other animals such as wildcats can tell him to leave or be clawed if met with resistance

Before he could fully leave the watering hole that was when his father's information came at the play of time as he witnessed firsthand that Dhalimu was harassing what looked like what his father called his former friends that he once played together with. Neither of them in the damn near slightest have aged, their names resurfaced in his head when seeing each of them individually in order: Kuplinka, Mwindaji, Zuberi, Fuhari and Luthando. From the one that was being tortured through trampling to the last that was threatening to attack their bully with an poisonous bite, Jeyluxhal appeared distressed as he was cold but bathing in hot sweat from an burning sun in the sky, a little bit of trembling was nothing short of a little bit of anxiety; that trampling was causing Kuplinka greater pain that Dhalimu seemed to be taking pleasure in, it was not the case for him in actuality as he was just being a bully rather than actually taking an sadistic desire in tormenting these group of friends. Heaving heavier but faster as if it looked that he was having a incoming asthma attack, he started running with his inner vocal strains were soft as they were at first before becoming louder as he started to get angry

Rushing into the rescue he darted to the side of the zebra and tackled him onto the ground, it alone scared the others nearby who were about to intervene; but Dhalimu's attempts to kick him off fallen upon blinded eyes as they've did to deafened ears. He realized too late that he was the son of Tabari who've somehow returned from the battles waged between two others of different groups, he assumed that he couldn't keep the peace and ended up being killed in one of them. His father wouldn't talk about him as he remained silent, he hasn't been seen in the Backlands so much anymore but still kept secrets to himself. Standing over him pounced on his chest, his back turned from his friends and slobbering from the sides of his mouth; he let out a threatening low growl that rumbled in his throat slowly. Narrowed eyes of ultimate but pure domination that he held in the upperpaw of this confrontation, he dared to take an step forward through biting into his neck without warning to feast on the meat since he was starting to eat a lot more frequently as he needed something to keep the population control in check; it's not like the Pride Lands and it's borders are part of the Republic of China in Asia. At that point in time he told him out of fear: "This isn't over, you were supposed to be dead!" Dhalimu ran off with tears falling to the soil soaked from the rain, but Jeyluxhal only had the expression that told him off to quit his bitching; showcasing his apathetic side

Now knowing that he's revealed and exposed himself to them, he turned halfway to the right to meet their eyes though his face was shrouded in his mane; Kuplinka looked as though he's seeing a old friend that he recognized and haven't been in contact with for over a year, when that was just how to describe his expression. He was the first one to speak to him: "Tajiuva, is this one of your father's secrets to himself?" He asked him, no response as Jeyluxhal looked at them for a few moments with a more raised head; still shrouded by his mane as he instead ran off in the distance of where his burrow den was. "T, don't leave- I don't want to run from you; I just want to see your face-" Jeyluxhal showed no response to his former name as he is long gone

"Tabari approaches, enter the Hyena-Dragon chimera himself; unless if it's Mushu then enter the latter" Mwindaji spread his wing out to the father who came

"I asante for the introduction as always, Mwindaji. Tajiuva will not respond to that name that you knew him by, because he cannot see himself as him anymore. He's joined his mother to eternal paradise. His rechristened name is Jeyluxhal, known under no other title than one as that is the Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands. Return with me back to the burrow den, do not chase after him no matter the temptation to see to it that he must remember you; he cannot let himself face his former friends..." Tabari explained his son's return, rechristening of name and seemingly running off out of shame for the fact that they know him

As Jeyluxhal hid from behind the rock, he came out from behind as he then headed off in the direction of elsewhere that he can sharpen his claws in peace without being followed; now it has come for the cold opening to end, let us begin the featured presentation of what this tale is about in seeking retribution against Baridi. For that we start off in a secluded location that's found within the Pride Lands

* * *

This jungle like area in the Pride Lands had dirt littered with sticks to shavings on the earth as there were some palm trees, bushes and a waterfall nearby; it was there that Jeyluxhal did as he wanted to do alone. Sharpening his claws on the trees until the bark was skinned down to exposed blossom wood, just because this alone was a habit for wildcats didn't mean he could not do the same; it's not limited to them nor is it a exclusive task for lions. Hyenas like him as it should be clear have the right to try out the things they do, especially something like this in fact; he would remove the splinters should he get any and lick away the blood if it pierced his pawpads. It took around twenty minutes worth of a good sharpening but he felt like this was not enough to dig into the flesh of what he craves for, so he looked at his earrings and had an idea for some hidden razor blades to really do some damage. He's doing all this for Baridi, all out of revenge as it makes no difference to what he did prior to targeting his mother

Hearing the sounds of herbs that were being picked thanks to his ears picking up the sound at the waterfall, he came to investigate the sound that he was being lured towards; keeping low in case the one responsible saw him which he did not want to happen. Prowling over to near bushes, he took a peak through the other side where the waterfall was just below him; there were definitely herbs around but he wasn't seeing anything. A pile however was shown, that told him he's not alone; further shown to be true when he took a peak on what looked like an animal just coming out of the other side from the wall of water. Keeping a close eye as it was simply an mongoose, making him very disappointed that he was fooled into thinking he saw someone like himself. He went back to sharpening his claws further until the bark could stay no more on the skinned wood, breathing one out as the corner of his eye caught some of the speckles of the soothing moisture in the air; closing one of them as he prepared to leave and gather some cobra fangs as well as aardvark nails on both fingers and foot

Leaving the waterfall behind him he roamed on ahead through the jungle like area, feeling as if he was lonesome with a heartache but not willing to meet his friends in the face again; he's always been alone like those times in the reign of Scar that has fallen for the greater of good. Those feelings still tormented him whenever he was alone and here they've returned with a full force of fury, he stopped in his tracks where he slowly flopped down to lay his head onto the ground; breathing out through his mouth vocally even with his fangs unmoving and bared to all who approach him. Suppressing the emotions that were building up in his blood, it came down to mourning the mother whom he wanted to interact with; not see with his eyes, move and interact with her no matter how brief it was. Softly vocalizing as he took the time to stare at the scenery such as fallen logs, sunbathed glazing rocks and countless moss that grew into greater fungai among the environment; rumbling in his throat every now and then as if he's sobbing which he wasn't. He just needed a woman's soothing comfort like his mother, this is a hard time he's going through right about now

Breaking him out of the trance was the scent of boiling hot mud that lure him to another but this time a large cluster of bushes that roofed over him, concealing his presence as he gotten down low to prowl like a predator but not to the others as he was just a small animal to them; in reality he was a cold blooded hyena out for their flesh to crave upon. Scent was at the near strongest as he peered out where just his snout pierced through, the rest hidden because of both his fur and tattoos given to him thanks to his father. Covered with a rock as he looked on to find a second animal, also concealed with the waterfall just below him at the bluffs that in a sense curved downward like a hill sharply. He watched on as the animal stepped through as it revealed itself, standing before the lake of mud that swirled as if it was flushing down the drain; bubbling like lava but steaming with heat he saw the figure before him, blood flushing out from under his skin as he loosened up a little bit. Heaving vocally through his nose slowly at first, this is what the animal now revealed to be a hyena looked like:

This hyena's fur was a dove and half mature grape purple tinted quixotic plum grey color just as her frontal and hind paws were dipped in a darkened shade of eggplant to regalia purple, a peach orange to salmon pink color dominated her underbelly; her tail was bicolored as it was mostly like her paws but paler on the bottom just like her mentioned underbelly. Both of her sides had three slightly darker round spots than her main coat that lined up vertically along to her shoulder all the way to the joint of her foreleg, at least two smaller spots flecked her face on either side underneath her eyes on the far sides; a trio of darker stripes half coiled around her neck with a streak along her spine. Matching the mane and paws was her eyebrows, along with her ears as the inner ears were a dull rogue pink color. Her muzzle was the same slightly darker color of her spots with large but deep indigo blue eyes, though in both the sun and the shade it appeared to lean more on the dark electric to violet purple side; encircling them like markings was a darker color just like her darker purple mane striped with lighter streaks, long and thick with a lock in the front that leaned toward her cute nose. It was mainly the color of her paws with the lighter streaks being the paler color like on her lower tail. Her voice was a youthful kind as she is a pup after all, she carried an accent of Australian origin of course; but she seemed to giggle often, at least not so much as Faline though as for her case she was all giddy around the prince himself. Finally, for this matriarch she lived in the Outlands but for those unlike her nature; she had a name that stood for boldness and courage which was no other name than the one and only: Jasiri, though this was something that was not within his knowledge as he looked on

Jasiri jumped in to relax as she was inside making sure a snout like her's was powdered, she don't want there to be any sort of incidents at this time in front of her hidden peeper; if so then she best pretend it never was. Nevertheless she swam through as if this was a pool of her own paradise, this gave him some rather uncomfortable moments of feeling like this is an resort where he worked as a towel boy for her family. Neither rich nor poor her's was an normal kind as he acted like a guardian watching over her safety, but not as a overprotective father which is something that Simba greatly succeeds at with his daughter Kiara that he most definitely favored over his second born son Kion; his eldest first born is Kopa of course just to throw that out there. In this imaginative mindscape she asked if her mother had just seen her towel, that to which her mother told her that until then she could get ask him for a temporary replacement. Though to her it wouldn't feel right to intrude on his time, she was assured that he was really a teddybear underneath that scarred look of his; approaching him while he saw her in a bikini. He couldn't help but call her beautiful under the voice he never had, thus he did as asked without ever being asked but ended up giving her his shirt; he is a doomed man in the end though she took this opportunity to poke fun at his error, he did too

For all it's intentional purposes as he burned up at imagining her in a bikini out of all swimsuit types, he loved her... has he truly gone mad? He loved her like their destiny placed them just with each other alone, first sights are not a good sign for him as he's seen the kinds of love as such that ends when their true colors are revealed underneath. For him this felt different, an feeling that he had when he started to fall in love with his adopted mother; the two of them understood each other well and she returned his love for her before bidding his farewells to him. Even after that time he cannot take it out of his blood for good, he wanted that feeling to be gone with her; he didn't want to be hounded on his every step by it. Because of earlier imagining her with that swimsuit, his skin burned itself to ludicrous degrees and started to heave heavier with his vocal breaths; overwhelming lust was devouring him. He cannot take another look at her again just as she exited the lake of mud like how a woman would climb up from the iron bar ladder of the public pool, shaking herself off to dry up in the sun; that withdrew him back from the cluster of bushes as he hid himself from behind the shrouded rocks. He cannot go back to that spot again, haunted at the image he needed to seal within the vault; and he did as he placed his mind onto something else

No matter whatever he tried it broke free as he soaked up the details of her appearance, of which he gathered the fallen sticks as well as made his way to the boiling lake of mud so his dexterous paws can be used to create a sign for her about his presence. It was nothing short of how the men and women go out to start their primitive technology hobbies using tools of manmade work of nature to build amazing things with such hands. He was no different just when he closed his eyes to be empowered with the details, down to the last one as he was fully consumed with the image to start constructing a statue of her. With his paws ready, it was time for him to get to work and do what he does best; using his fondness of painting to the fullest decree. He started off with digging some small holes for the posts to be planted, covering them up as he had some vines to tie them around for he wanted to build a skeleton of the statue first beforehand; overhead curved bark on the top wrapped around on both of the sides to remain steady with two horizontal bars on the front to back for a quadruped look, with at least a few round rings to simulate the underbelly like his. He bent three sticks for the skeleton to have supports that went from her back to her neck, lashing them with vines for an more steady connection; he moved onto laying down more horizontal planks for substance in the case that requires him to start covering the statue with mud to dry

For her head he created a basic round spherical shape while adding ears so he wouldn't have to add them on later, slipping a few branches through to form the snout as well as building a cute little nose to add on; he was so focused on the project that he never felt or turned away to see the sun begin to lower a little bit in the afternoon as by then the statue had fully been constructed with individual pieces for each limb including her tail and mane. Jesus, Jeyluxhal is hellbent on making this creation of his individualized through the traits he gathered from a little peep on the matriarch pup herself; even though he never met her directly, he did not in a time like this underestimate her. Now that he checked the lake of mud again to see that it's vacant for him to gather the hot boiling and steaming mud from the falls, carrying it over into a big 'ol slop for him to smush 'n smear on the skeletal frame of his statue. He covered it all in a short matter of time for him to sculpt the basic shape like he wanted as it looked halfway in the process, he added some crushed termite mound clay with dead palm fronds to temper as well as stone grog to mix into the new clay for his statue; it's supposed prevent cracking from the time that it dries in the sun

As soon as the substance dried fast it was time to apply some paint using separate bowls that were filled with mashed berries of different kinds that matched her look and appearance, it's come this far for him to start an project like this and he just needed her out of his head; still it might not be too bad that she discovered this on her next trip to this place in particular. This'll be done in no time as he followed up on the exact details he saw directly before and after his friend relaxed in the lake of mud. Applying the appropriate paintjob on the fur, markings and mane he took focus on the bicolored areas such as her mentioned mane as well as her tail; all to ensure that what he saw was right while adding liberties when necessary such as his floof on his chest, barbed spikes that faced backward as if it was sticking upward and a soft stroking feeling just like Fuli's though he has yet to meet each of the members among the Lion Guard before encountering the whole team themselves. She was completed as the statue had been filled with stone rocks and mud to ensure that this was stable from within, what was next for him to do is sign it as he found a stone tablet to paint before he then wrote his name just as it was spelled with a pronunciation underneath to help say it without butchering/botching his name. The words wrote on the front clear as crystal: "Nameless Hyena from the Hot Mud Springs/Built by the Silent Artist and Hyena Prince of the Shadowlands: Jeyluxhal"

No one would come to this place but the two of them to begin with so there's no need to see that this statue be exposed, though he had to make sure that no one sees what he built; with him keeping this intact he moved it over to the hot mud springs where he first saw her, at the point that he where he first saw her clearly exiting from the mudfall that steamed; it was also shaded with a overhead hung rock that supported with stone formations that gave him some uncomfortable intensive feelings of whenever he roamed at Pride Rock during Scar's reign. It was still shrouded with vines as well as looked like a very comfortable place to rest as it's not so deep but neither shallow for hyenas like him to take a dip in. It was also wet even in these times of the dry seasons here in the Pride Lands, the air around this area wasn't so bad if this didn't cause him a nosebleed that is! The air was dried out like a fruit which was something in the times that he was a young pup that made him bleed from the snout, cutting open the wall and surfaces of his inner nose this acted like scabs that peeled off when he did nothing; right on the contrary when he did something it pricked him, but since when was he to give a damn about? It felt itchy but his sneezes were like that of an kitten/squeak toy and when Shenzi at least heard it once from him, she couldn't help but poke fun at him much to him giving her an expression as if he was saying: "God dammit, mother..."

But he cannot be mad with her since he did love her, no matter his destiny as it's what he will do for her affection in return for his luxuries he will give her without a question asked; in the end of his work came one last addition to make sure that it would look a little more alive: his paw was dipped in a bowl of snowberry he filled in the spots that looked like a reflecting dot that shined from the sun no matter where she was. Her expression was like his except with a closed mouth and a more upward stance that matched his whenever he stood, now it's fully a completed statue which he couldn't be more happier than what stands before him. Letting an not so prolonged yawn vocally from his rumbling throat he decided that it was time for him to return back to his father. He might've missed his mother so much but he had his father living so that she can watch over the two of them, Tabari was not one of the idiot fathers or just in a sense incompetent like Goigoi for example. Jackals like him is something that he had to feel bad for because a bitch like Reirei is not worth having a mother, Dogo along with Kijana and his brothers shouldn't have to be raised in her ways. He had a friend and his name was none other than Kuplinka, he just needed to see his father right now. Without hesitation he went off towards the exit of the jungle area looking back one last time, he knew he'd be back here and thus he ran off to return back to his father Tabari where he can be left alone in peace; he cannot face his friends again as he's been overwhelmed with a megalomania of scenarios of him and her. Should she come to find a statue of herself then it should not be taken as a sign of having an stalker, it's just a feeling that all animals have whenever they see one like her no matter the age that she was; he just needed somebody to love like a queen for example. That was just a metaphor but the message still stands: he just needed somebody to love. Because he had no mother figure after the lions of the Outlands ripped his to pieces before him, he's had enough of a broken heart for some time now. Perhaps when he has the courage to meet with her wherever she lived, he can be happy just like he is with his father

Leaving the Pride Lands back to his home in the Backlands just behind the former, he walked the rest of the time it took to his burrow den. In the meantime someone's bound to discover his project and that special someone was... heheheheh, as if she needed a introduction to a special admirer of her own: Jasiri returned to the hot mud springs secluded from others so it couldn't be seen that there was a hyena like herself roaming beyond her borders of home, in what emergency was there to return back to the time of relaxation? She took off to brave the risks of trespassing upon the Pride Lands/Outlands border in order to cross over to the other side, what she needed were some herbs for Wema and Tunu for a nasty fever had forced the two pups into a state of having them be endowed with fear. Elderflower, yarrow, white bark of the willow tree, echinacea and lemon balm along with raw honey in a pot for a extra boost. All of this was collected but it seemed she missed on the peppermint oil so that she can cool them both off, that was no issue for her as she returned back to the hot mud springs which is conveniently growing them; how odd of some nice animals to plant them there for her. There do exist hyena sympathizers here but a rare sight is no different from those who believe that there are good ones, she was one of them as every one of them follow the Circle just as well as they take up the scraps that are left for them to take for themselves; those who do not are doomed with the lack of understanding that they've come here with hatred in their hearts as she comes with bravery as well as wisdom beyond her years. If there was to be more hunting for the hell of it knowing there is no free meal, then it will not begin with her

Perking up she took the scent of peppermint oil which was coming from around the steaming mudfall, just behind where a tunnel was as she entered through; she had earlier entered this hot mud spring to soothe herself since she walked on top of some heated stones and thought that she could use a comfortable time to relax. She could've used a break from her trip all the way from her home in the Outlands to this place, not aware that Jeyluxhal had been watching her taking an little break before moving on. Passing through the darkened cave both eyes had adjusted to the darkness, Jasiri stopped in her tracks to slowly look back as if something gave her a feeling of uncomfortability and snapped back to find no one was inside; continuing on a paw was seen sticking out which made her suspicious: "(Eh!) Who was that...?"

Jasiri continued onward a little more cautiously with slower steps that pittered and pattered across the ground she walked on, having to come forth with a lowered stance light narrowed eyes that looked like a widescreen format; she arrived in the area and looked around. With nothing but the landmark that she couldn't stop looking at, she concluded with this: "No one here but me and myself... hmmm" She approached the statue of herself that was in the size of the creator but made no difference to either of them, checking out the chocked full details that the artist himself "Jeyluxhal" had taken his passion into just to build this. Did she have a admirer on her paws? Jasiri giggled at bit at that thought and couldn't help but say this in her head:

"No wonder it felt like someone was peeping on me, wonder if the blood and sweat's worth all this just to earn my attention. What do I say for him? I say he has more talent with what he's best at than talking directly to others, wonder if he really doesn't talk..." Jasiri had seemed to like the statue of her, true that she looked a little more distinctive but whose she to criticize? She found the peppermint oil pot just underneath the statue as if he knew what she wanted. "Wema and Tunu don't have to worry for long, I've got what they need right here and Madoa can take it from there" She thought to herself before moving on, looking back on the statue of her; she had a harmless prank planned in mind if Jeyluxhal returned before she left for good back to the Outlands, having replaced Nameless Hyena with her own name on the stone panel that was in front of her

* * *

Tabari continued to apply the facial marking tattoos on his son like a genet's that started out from his closest sides of both his eyes downward across to his snout, acting like a outer ring around the darker stubble fade that he barbed upward with a few strokes of his tongue just so he can carry the image of himself; wanting him to know that wherever he was out in the lands among the serengeti, he was there with him as his reflection in the mirror. Given onto him were a little bit of white downward curves that went along with the black dual pronged eyemarkings, looking a little more spiked and barbed like a basic tribal tattoo; adding some black underlines that sharply shot out backwards a curved a little bit up before stopping as it sloped down a bit. For his eyebrows he started at the far ends through sloping them inward a bit before having them sharply curve downward and stop, curving the close ends upward just a bit so that he could look more fiercer which wasn't see too much but can still be seen right behind his bangs that he left untouched. Inspired by the Lion Guard's Mark of the Guard, he thought about giving his son a distinctive mark on both the back of his shoulders; using pots of paint that were a reflective platinum to ash gray color and a lighter silver sand to chalice color for the application, it's time to get busy with him. It appeared as a snarling hyena that had it's long mane like his flow from the back of it's head, looking like it was half smeared just like the Mark of the Guard on the members of the faction themselves. He also decided to mark some almond to faded angel and daisy beige onto his snout like Bupu who leads his herd, however he's also stubborn as he will not follow the Guard's orders when there's a flood in the rainy season. Oh and just to throw one thing out there, Ono was the inspiration for the platinum color of his son's marking on both of his scapula muscles

"Your mind is focused elsewhere than what's next for what you want to do, tell me of what's happened in our absence in the Backlands" Tabari asked him as his son had a expression that showed off a distant look in his eyes, along with a thick railed burning stripe underneath both his eyes that went across his snout that was a tiger to fire and marmalade orange with a dark spice and clay brown undertone; sizzling mahogany to merlot and sangria to wine red marks flushed him out

He thought back to that time when he first saw her dive into the hot spring lake of mud, just watching for a few minutes before retreating; his face told him the same thing that he told himself: "I'm not going back out there" all with a sped-up tone, his eyes were also much more narrower than before and his lips were slightly opened a bit. Tabari listened to the vocal cord breathing patterns in his throat with his one ear blocked out and the other was close to him, giving off a smirk as he pulled back from his son

"Affectionate tenderness to a pup whose the matriarch of her own clan, Najira's knowledge of telling these feelings of being in love came from back then in a story one elder told us in our youth: this happened in France where an prince though he had everything one wanted was spoiled, selfish and unkind to all before him. It was one winter night that a hooded but kind old beggar came to the castle to offer a rose in exchange for shelter from the bitter cold, repulsed horribly under her atrocious appearance this prince sneered at her gift and turned her away. She warned him not to be deceived under appearances as beauty as beauty itself is found within, after being dismissed as he will not be lectured again while she froze to death in a possibly stormy blizzard in the cold due to elements of lightning seen that night; this is when the ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. The prince wanted to take back the uncaring response he showed and apologize but it was too late, she had seen that there was no love in his heart. As punishment she transformed him into a hideous beast and with him a powerful spell on the castle, all who lived there under his rule was to share the similar fate as objects just as the prince saw them like to himself. Ashamed of his appearance he concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his one and only window to the outside world, as he cannot show the innocents of France what he's become. The rose she's offered to him was a enchanted one as it would bloom until the 21st birthday of the year, as such there was a race against time in his journey: If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return at the time the final petal falls, then the spell would be broken. If not, then he would be doomed to forever remain a beast for all time; as the years passed he fell into a state of despair, lost all hope as he questioned himself on who could ever learn to love a beast like him? There is one woman who did so and what she wanted more than what her village offered, like all three of us when we were young; she dreamed of adventure and so much more..." Tabari began to tell him a tale from the elder of the clan who loved him and her, Jeyluxhal listened closely when he started telling him

Tabari chuckled as he revealed her name: "Belle was a book loving and independent minded woman seen as an outcast through her odd nature, she will not be lured to the affections of a ill-mannered narcissistic and lustful hunter named Gaston who was a hero that offered and I instate: frequent unwanted attention that never seemed to end. What he wanted was having her to be a little wife he can marry, with her that he too saw as a object on the reversed side of the Franc à cheval (French currency) she would bear to him handsome fruit of sons, cook in what he hunts hence his occupation and scrub the floors. Lady Tremaine would definitely put Gaston to work if not that landlord of the House of Mouse, Pete beforehand as she needs the extra slaves to her will if not against theirs. But even as if you were wrongfully spoiled, you will not turn into him as he is not he dark reflection of yourself. Without her knowledge he threw a wedding that is with all rights ended perfectly when he was thrown into the mud, because the music played is no good there to begin with. Fate took her to the Beast's Castle when her tinker father was locked up for trespassing to escape the wolves that roamed in the woods as it too was part of the curse of the enchantress. Having taken his place but never having the chance to bid just at least one farewell to him as he was impatient, he just wanted to get this over with and for all it's intents and purposes; be done with it for the night. Unlike Gaston who exploited his traits to the fullest decree as he was popular with the Bimbette Girls, the Beast was just lonesome; time was running out since the rose was now withering. To I myself when young I thought of him in the story that he might come down to a point in ending his pain, not the way that the enchantress wanted him to end it; nevertheless he did save her from the wolves but they're vicious to leave their bite and clawmarks on him, running off as it's him whose superior than their pack. While the Beast came to be more human in the time they spent, Gaston who did own a tavern of his own taste was becoming obsessive; he was becoming homicidal, he was poisoned under his egomania. It was killing him from the inside, once he learned about the claims of Belle's father before he went off to rescue her alone in the woods; he was far from being the smartest villain in the story just like Baridi as he signed his death sentence on the contract that wasn't worth the stone that was scriven on" Tabari looked down at his son who looked back at him, he knew the question that he was asking him

Jeyluxhal didn't want him to be devoured from obsession for revenge towards Baridi, he can't bare to have a father like Gaston as he instead would be rebellious; as a matter of fact he was just close to the edge of leaving him behind for a new family that could treat him better. That treatment being what his father was always to him. He didn't want to become a unlikable and selfish kid like North from the 1994 movie of the same name, who was a free agent who came in search of the perfect parents who weren't giving him the attention he though he deserved. He showed hatred to the absolution against the film, Roger Ebert's response was worse than him; as this can be described like this. He hated the movie, hated it to the fullest for each and every simpering stupid vacant audience insulting moment of it; the sensibility that though of anyone would like it, the implied insult to the audience by it's belief that anyone could be in what way entertained about the unlikable protagonist divorcing himself from his parents. He didn't want to be like him nor did he want to meet an all-star cast of racial insensitive people who are binded to their stereotypes, but if his father was like Gaston which was grateful that he was not; then it makes no difference to him. Tabari read it through that face that showed how much he wanted him to not transform into someone as consumed through his egomania and with that, he couldn't be more happier with that look on his son. He gave his son a hickey on his neck that was more ticklish than painful, especially when that made him shake out of sensitivity. Once again he chuckled though it was more wholeheartedly out of love for him, digging his snout into his ear as he continued to the endgame of his story. "Their dance from the ballroom was the highlight for Najira, she could imagine it all play inside her head; now then let's continue shall we?" Jeyluxhal nodded eagerly

"Not willing to have Belle reject his sexist advances towards her, bribing the warden D'Arque of the Asylum to throw her father into the cell should she not marry him and with villages on his side; this threat was one step from being executed as Belle later on returned upon seeing that her father was collapsing in the cold searching for her. The words that tell you that if you really love someone then you would let her go is meaningless, as neither the two of one and the other can be happy as each other was their passion and therefore head back to finally tell their respective partners how they feel. He makes his offer to clear up the misunderstanding and release him if he marries a man that she knows that she cannot brush off now that he has something to use as leverage against her. Belle proves that the Beast is real as her father was telling the truth. Every word she spoke of the Beast was true as he was kind, gentle and loved her as Gaston was losing his mind under these affectionate words; preferring a monster over a man such as himself. But to Belle the monster that she sees is standing before him, the final straw has been broken and Gaston snapped; along with his humanity as this envy casts a dark shade of bloodlust for the suitor who stole her away from him. Rallying villagers and carving a battering ram from the tree in the woods to break in, they followed his lead and shall kill the beast. Belle must not warn her and thus is locked in, but a servant had followed her home as it was time to return knowing that her destiny lied with him. While the cursed servants called forth to defend their home, Gaston bypassed the ensuing battle and confronted him alone in the West Wing; having lost all will to live and consumed under his doomed fate. Firing on an animal who wanted nothing to be involved with, he threw him out to the lower rooftop, with taunts to insult him as he took a makeshift club made from the nearby castle statue to strike him down. Just as Chief Powhatan of the Powhatan Tribe was close to crushing the skull of John Smith before her free spirited daughter Pocahontas arrived to stop the war between the two factions"

"Belle arrived just outside but is out of time to reach the Beast; urging the hunter not to commit this terrible act of killing. Gaston has nothing to hold back but for the Beast, it's her arrival that gave him a reason not to lose hope and thus countered the strike; the darkest hour is never without a second wind when appears to be lost, there will always be one that's in need of saving. Fighting back with his ferocious strength and animalistic instinct as he still remains human as he never was a real beast. Roughly the two are even in their fight but he cannot rely on brute strength alone to kill his adversary, infuriating him to bring his guard down will be his undoing. Belle could never love a monster and she would always be his to show off and prance around with as if she's something to be jealous for. Backfires after his adversary had fully let forth the feral animal that he was as he held his life above the moat underneath the castle. Life at stake and abandoning his pride, abandoning his ego he begged for mercy. The Beast knows that he is no animal and releases him with the kindness she had shown him, ordering him to get out of his castle, though he is more jealous than he is filled with remorse as he saw him climb to the balcony. Ungrateful but unfazed from his mercy to him he followed and stabbed him fatally in the back with his knife, this final cruel deed seals his fate as the Beast swings his arm backward at him in pain which made him lose balance in attempting to dodge it; falling off the castle balcony where he plunged into deep moat below to his death, though he had a broken leg and couldn't escape as the wolves further showed him the same cruelty he showed to the Beast. In the end, though he paid the price Belle returns her love as such the spell is broken when the petal falls to the bottom of the glass cover; transformed back to what he originally was but not recognized until she saw his ice blue eyes that only he could have. Married with the residents of the village invited as well as her father, servants who are now human again with the exception of Maestro Forte which is Italian for loud and Portuguese for strong. What happened to him?" Tabari knew the answer but for Jeyluxhal, he wondered if he wanted to become human but died before it happened. He shook his head as began the tragic tale that was once the best friend of the Beast, still he never lost his real nature as a loving father whose telling a story that he can compare to the affections he's holding for Jasiri:

"On the night of Christmas Eve he played an terrible rendition of Deck the Halls on the organ acting like the catalyst to what made him dismiss the enchantress. Forte preferred his organ him as the Beast considered him a much more valuable adviser and confidant as his depressing arrangements of notable Beethoven music somehow made him feel better. He could use music to move nearby objects but there is just one problem... HE'S BOLTED TO THE WALL! (*Tabari tackles Jeyluxhal playfully which made him laugh, something he hasn't been doing much for a hyena like him*) He spent much of his time composing the grand version of Symphony No. 5 that he would claim to bring the house down, if the Big Bad Wolf hasn't already brought the House of Mouse down as a guest performer. He wanted to stop Belle and the Beast's love and the Christmas spirit that the Beast forbid for a good reason as it's the night that he was cursed would only bring them together. He had the reluctant Fife lure both to ruin a date under the empty promise of Piano Concerto No. 15 which he never intends to give him the solo of course but when he wouldn't listen, it was time to lure Belle to the black forest but when he went after her because of a misunderstanding that she was breaking her vow to him; her return would result in him falling in love and having no other option, he had to destroy the rose or go back as a human. Failure followed when the Beast remembered the storybook as her gift to him and felt remorseful, he will destroy the castle as he used the strongest of musical scales of Beethoven's 5th as they can't fall in love if they're dead. He revealed his promise is full of blank sheets. The Beast charges but is overwhelmed under the powerful music that's confounded him, he doesn't know what it is he's striking at; he then of course unplugs Forte and ripped his keyboard away to cease contact with his pipes, effectively killing him before he crashed to the ground into pieces. Though he knew he had villainous motives, the Beast mourned the death of his best friend as Belle comforted him. If Forte succeeded, it would backfire even worse as the curse would devolve the Beast into a literal savage animal as he and his servants implied as the elder told us both that they would've died and truly become real objects as a result. Still, Belle and the Beast have gotten their happily ever after and for Christmas that time that Belle saved thanks to her gift to bring him out of the abyss; what the Prince got her as his gift was a single rose... thus we conclude our tale. I hope you now come to understand the similar elements between you and her, whoever she was as I was never born in the Outlands; I came from a different place like your mother. But don't worry about where she comes from son, she knows well that Zira and the lions loyal to her except for her son whom she believes is meant to be the heir rather than Simba are all evil; but there will always be a choice for them at redemption, except for their leader" Tabari assured him as he licked his face ten times softly to soothe the son who questioned if she actually lived there

Tabari looked out to the Backlands to tell him this as he lowered his head with his nose in his eye that was being poked: "You created a statue of her through those dexterous paws even if it mattered not you knew of her name, she's seen it as of now judging from the gut feeling I am sensing from you. Go to her if you will in the next day, she has some business to take care of as of now but she will be expecting you; think of this as a lesson to know your surrounding environment, and counter any ambushes that come. Let the tale of Beauty and the Beast serve as inspiration for these affectionate feelings, as it's the inner beauty that matters the most to you as it does for I; feel ready to join me whenever you can go no further" With that Tabari got himself comfortable to rest as Jeyluxhal exited but never left the burrow den, he looked at himself in the mirror sheen rock that reflected his tattooed appearance and gave himself a nod; everyone needs some tattoos to help blend in with the environment

The sun went down in the horizon as the stars came up, flashing back to the time where his mother Najira bathed him with her barbed tongue that felt nice; he felt nostalgia an second time after reuniting with his father again. After a few hours in the dark night sky he had later returned inside his burrow den, taking up his soft and comfortable position like always; just like when he needed the rest from yesterday. When the next dawn shall come, he'll be ready to see her face to face even if she's a pup and he's a early teen; there's no difference to him

* * *

Morning in the Backlands came with a brightened sun just over the horizon and clouds facing toward the residents, the blue was faded in with the tanned cumulus clouds and daffodil to lemon gold rays of the sun dominated more than the total amount of what there was. Grass trampled under the hooves of the antelope while being grazed by the herbivores, hell there were lion cubs around as well near the watering hole. As for where Jeyluxhal was, like you've even need to ask that question for yourself. Awakening earlier than the sun in the night, let's say 5:30 AM as his father rubbed his snout on his thigh to underbelly making him twitch; with a yawn that followed after standing he nibbled on his ear for a little bit before leaving. If she was expecting him to be at the area that he first saw her then he was going to be prepared, it wouldn't make a difference to him either way as he'll go with her way of meeting as he's not capable of talking. Though he's not hellbent on learning to talk and his father ain't sharing the reason, his mother knew and Baridi stripped everyone of the chance to discover why

Jeyluxhal headed into the Pride Lands once again as he avoided discovery from other animals roaming through peacefully, at least one animal who was a egret with an head crest of five of each differentiating lengths of feathers which started off with a light lemon yellow at the base before transitioning to an slightly dark tangerine orange near the tips spotted him commando prowling out of sight from the others. Taking flight he flew over to a branch and saw him, full appearance and details from this hyena who thought that he was being an ninja. From what he's seen is something he can't say without stating what was clear to him: "He's not looking to cause some chaos for the animals, what is he up to?" Jeyluxhal turned back to find nothing as if he was paranoid all of a sudden, that was still a feeling that didn't leave; he moved on just as the egret came from behind the tree: "It may be against my position as keenest of sight but don't worry about Kion, I kept some secrets to myself before..." He softly told himself as if he was speaking to the hyena he witnessed

Returning to the jungle area where the hot mud springs were he headed to just behind from the lake of mud itself, his statue was still there so that's one of the things that was untouched from other animals in the Pride Lands. He was about to stroke until he suddenly turned away, overcome with the feeling of realizing that he might've become a stalker like he was trying to avoid becoming; even if he saw her just a day ago but haven't met in person. Jeyluxhal sat on the ground with his head lowered, downhearted worse than Aladdin felt when he came into the light about the errors of his ways. For him it was because he was living out a lie and for an former street rat of Agrabah who has now become a prince he was not very secure about who he is, Jeyluxhal knew that his actions could be compared to an animal who wanted to have a way with someone whose clearly just a pup while he's an early teen. He needed the truth to be known should she be here waiting to ambush and catch him off guard

Shenzi's words of what she told him remained, and she couldn't be more right than others of her clan. She was not the kind of woman he would want as his own, she was too old for him because of the Oedipus complex that he was going through and she told him not to defend her as she's sassy as well have the tendency to boss others and if someone tempts her then vicious. Though she was flattered as she knew that he started to fall in love with her needing no one to confirm all this for a hyena who spares no words, but she was right about being an quiet to misguided cold blooded hunter who was confused on what he wanted to be. Never following up on their traits as well as not interacting with the pups born in the clan, not much of being self independent either as he was starting to deattach himself with a newfound lone animal kind of nature. But his megalomania of sorrowful rage and overwhelming jealousy has brought the worst out of him, having to bare the weight of seeing another accept them over himself when he did those services for her out of fear of being chased out of the clan; he just wanted to keep his place there. Now? Shenzi's out there finding better hunting grounds and he can't come with her, it's clear that the lionesses didn't want him to act like a hero

That overwhelming jealousy actually made him shed tears that he was fighting back, it's more of the fact that his passionate lust drive was poisoning him; forming into frustration which for a early teen like him is worse with some of the nastiest recoil and backfire that he would take on, though it's him that faces the blunt force of it all. Struggling between fits from the likes of anxiety, embarrassment, frustration, jealousy and inner rage from the discrimination towards his kind; humiliated before others after he rightfully defends himself, he felt like he was just a lone man who can compared to Bruce Banner of the 2003 film. That man had to deal with an bombardment of threats from General Ross and Talbot when he just wanted to find a cure, to stop his father and The Leader altogether from creating a gamma army to unleash. (A/N: That was based on the video game taking place 8 years after the movie) Jeyluxhal suppressed the feelings from rising, but what he really needed was help from those who loved him; in fact it never occurred to him that Jasiri was watching the whole time and of course, she can take his thoughts off those meant to be left behind and replaced with happier times

Jeyluxhal never heard or saw that the statue he supposedly took here had been switched and that she walked over to him, soft treading before she climbed up his back; covering both eyes with her paws. Getting a response from him as he moved around for awhile, wondering if he was blinded on purpose to have the hunters take him out; not if he has to fight them off and live another day himself. He was released as he looked to the sides in front of him, no one's here with him but he could never be sure for anything; instead he looked toward the tunnel and walked through as the steam created blurring waves of heat that became a cloud of fog which was a sepia tan color. There did happen to be a pair of paws that exited the left side, he followed through before hiding from behind the wall; there was a rock that acted like an stone step for him to leap onto. With a silent breath of assurance he leapt out and landed, coming out in a combat stance just as the pup stood up slowly. A moment of silence followed between the two of them

Where she stood on the opposite end from him the heated steam faded to reveal herself, it's her mane that blew in the wind with the sepia tan colored cloud surrounded the two of them as she looked at him; he couldn't show much of a response except for his signature face. They remained unmoving until he slowly took the mud and swept his mane back into position, just the way he wanted it to be; treading softly through to where she stood until the pup hopped over across the other stones back onto soft ground. She made her way through atop of a tree, using other branches as leverage to help herself up; wondering if he would pursue her since she took this as a little game between each other. Climbing up to reach a gap in between that she had to use herself as a bridge, though she couldn't build up the momentum to reach; light rain fell from the skies as of this time as that made her wet. Ah well, these temperatures were a little too hot for her taste. Looking down to her surprise, she found Jeyluxhal's paws on the protruding knob of the tree though his head was also looking down; wondering what it was she seemed interested in

She thrusted herself upward which had some balancing trouble before he poked her with his nose upward to have her fall back on the thick branch, leaping in front of her a distance as he did indeed pursue her like she was wondering though she had to be weary when he came up close; but not close enough to feel like harassment. Instead he looked down on her paw and noticed there was a splinter. "Got it from climbing up here, but it's not a- OW! That kind of hurt there..." She began to explain until she flinched in pain when he removed the splinter. "Thanks but- what you doin' now? Ah, please don't; heheha.. that's starting to tickle there, you can stop now.. stop. Please, stop!" Jeyluxhal couldn't control himself and massaged her wound which started making her giggle before she had no choice but to ram him off, hitting his snout on accident as he finally jumped back. Bleeding from his nose but showing no care about it because it's the dry season

"I guess it served you right for peeping on little old me taking a break and getting the young-? What are you doin' there now? No I, that's- that's close enough for me; I don't want to have to do this on purpose but- you wouldn't dare-!" Jeyluxhal approached her the pup as he started to stroke her cheek before she drew back her paw knowing that it wouldn't hurt him if she slapped his chest, though he caught her by the paw. "Wha-?" She softly breathed out

Jeyluxhal looked at her paw that he held without force, grasping it with his own as he felt his memories bring him back to a time that he held his mother's paw; giving him this feeling just as she felt his one last time. Looking into one another's eyes as he lowered himself down to press his ear against her side, hearing that heartbeat from underneath the flesh and skeleton before withdrawing. She didn't say a word as this happened nor did she object to him. Taking her head to hold against his chest so that she would hear his, the hyena pup withdrew from him as she responded. "Right thanks for that, it's a nice heartbeat" Under her breath at first, she told him the rest in a low voice

Jeyluxhal couldn't reply to her response, therefore he gave out an vocal pattern in his throat through his sealed lips; nodding to her as he gave her an expression. Perhaps he can reply to her statement as he used his paws to slick his mane back downward using the light rain from the sides. After a few moments, she came to ask him when she took a closer look at him; sweeping his bangs away from his face to the sides

"You're Jeyluxhal, right? That similar mark to the Lion Guard is something only you can copy from them. The name's Jasiri, listen that statue you've built of me... are you really silent? I was sure I could've heard someone enjoying themselves out here behind the bushes..." She introduced herself to him as Jeyluxhal sat down, nodded to confirm that he cannot talk as it was the reason why he wrote himself as the Silent Artist; to make sure that she understands him, he decided to act out the discrimination he faces from other animals out. Jasiri watched on as he played out the scenarios that others used against him so they'll have an excuse to throw him down, understanding it all as she then told him this when he understood that she's full taken the concept. Sitting down as she started talking again

"I know that harassment before, my sister Madoa and cousin Asante were victims of it too; you're no different from any of us and just the same to them. You've heard of Sisi Ni Sawa somewhere around right?"

Jeyluxhal looked up at her, that was not a Swahilian term that he was familiar with at all; but seeing how it meant that the two of them were the same then he couldn't deny it. He shook his head to which Jasiri came over to him, having that distant look like before when he's thinking of her as it was affectionate tenderness toward her. His ears twitched upward a little bit every now and then whenever she was close to his side, the young pup chose not to respond to his expression that he was showing; he'd be dead of embarrassment if she acknowledged that

"We're not as different as everyone believes, if I had to guess then Sitachukua Ubaguzi Wako (I will not take your exception) would be something you live by; heh, even that duo Timon and Pumbaa live by one and that's about living without worries. Don't worry I'm not gonna sing it out, I can tell you hate the song" She made a comparison to him as well as their beliefs before teasing him that she's not gonna irritate him with the duo's philosophy they made into a song about. Just to clear up the confusion that Jeyluxhal appeared to have in his eyes, she told him this: "They're the ones who helped Simba defeat Scar awhile back, or you didn't know that? Former's a meekrat, latter's a warthog; really it's not that hard to tell who is who around here"

Jeyluxhal's face burned up when she explained that meekrat who tried to hit on his mother, he shook his head as the light rain soon ended before drying up; looking out to see that the sun was still up in the sky. He came over to the tree branch with her following him, turning to face her as through his expression; he offered to bring her back to her home, though she had to decline. "I'll find my way back home, thanks Jeyluxhal. Hope we can meet again soon" He nodded as he took her with his fangs to place her on his back, sliding off the tree branch as he surfed on the flat surface of the bark; reaching the bottom as he left the jungle area while the two of them walked off to their respective homelands. Telling Jasiri in his own way where he lives if she ever needed someone to talk to, as he wanted to meet her in person since he first saw her

Jasiri only laughed as the two bid their farewells, while he started to smile in joy for once. It's because of her that he's never felt this much happiness in a long while, guess it's time to start meeting his old friends face to face. Tabari would be happy that he's enjoying himself with an long forgotten passion


	6. The Lion Guard Anthology

(A/N: The Lion Guard Anthology begins as I will tell you one thing, that I have not seen the animated series as it's one of Junior's shows but from what I've read it was becoming more like a XD show because of how dark it was getting. Therefore I do not know what the voices sound like nor have I heard the musical segments, but what I do know is that Bunga's voice is very obnoxious and that is why I begin with him at the first segment. Fuli was based off two cheetahs named Eden and Faith from the enclosure by Dolph C. Volker, Beshte was supposed to be based off the Greensboro sit-ins but was scrapped and Ono has a more personal level to him as I decided to make it special for him. So I decided to watch Ono and the Egg just to hear their voices and here's my thoughts. No wonder Bunga's voice is annoying, Fuli's not what what I was expecting, Beshte is great, Ono does not disappoint and not much to say about Kion. I just had different voices for them as I imagined our egret friend having a voice similar to Harry Potter Year 2-Beyond, again he doesn't disappoint since I like him. Now then it's on to our featured presentation. Enjoy)

**A UN-BUNGA-LIEVABLE MISTAKE!**

The Lion Guard was no stranger to hyenas that were not evil but just rather misunderstood and Jeyluxhal was no exception though none of them have met him, just got to be one little step at the time as the members will all have met him sooner or later. Who was the first to meet him but made it worse when this animal suggested a unintentional extremely insensitive idea that it thought would make him cheer up? Meet Bunga everyone as he's considered the bravest of the defenders, foolish is a understatement of the century when it comes to the relationship that's between him and our hero. He was a light space blue honey badger that had white hair which was spiked backwards, came in a mohawk from his shoulders to wrists in a thinnest on the start to ending edges while being thickest in the middle; which of course was split downward like a inverted triangle and even curved downward from his back to his upward pointed tail. He has a good build for his body as there was a darker chest to waistline patch that acted like his belly, muscular forelegs of course with an round face. A dark royal blue color for his claws which also had black imprints on the palms while it was more of a faint pearl white for his soles, it was also present on his palms just as the black imprints were present as well on his soles to clear things up. His eyes were a very dark oxford blue with thick black eyebrows while his inner ears were a watermeleon pink, his nose is clearly a dark merlot to berry red. Three darker oval spots were found on either side of his face, appearing to have a slight overbite with large front teeth that had a narrow but upward triangular gap just in between them. Finally, he was raised under the infamous Timon and Pumbaa as his two lovable uncles

He was out alone taking an lunch break in the Backlands because who wouldn't after the Guard is preoccupied with patrolling the other areas elsewhere, it's only natural that he found some stashes underneath the rocks; hell he found a really good one which is enough to fill the belly for the meantime. During this time there was an lone motherly hyena who searched the Backlands for someone to have, she had a bluff to oat tan color to her fur with multiple black spots that's all over her back to shoulders down to her white tipped paws; her underbelly was a lighter ivory to cream tan also found on her face that striped upward from the facing ends of her ears, just as much as she had a single stripe across her snout and black fur that stuck up outwards from her cheeks. She had a rather bushy brown tail that also stuck upwards for that matter, her eyes were a fern to sea green and her name was Kukuza (Foster) Having no other choice she decided to go ahead and ask for help about where she could find someone to be with, finding Bunga she went over to where he was

"Pardon... I'm looking for someone who's like me, I figured that they could use some help from raising their children; and... I'm just really lonely that's all" Kukuza asked him as young honey badger jumped back to the ground, flipping upward to gain momentum

"Came to the right hand badger, I'm your man for finding a suitable partner for you; so let's just pop up and dive in (Zuka Zama)!" Taking the lead for her, Bunga set off in the Backlands as this was the first mistake he makes to him before our hero's bloodlust would make itself known

Heading off through the Acacia Woods for a few minutes that became a hour later, Bunga found a cluster of bushes that led out to the open fields; his enthusiasm never died as he climbed an few trees to gather some insight on where they can find a hyena who would be willing to help with their children. If Ono was here it would've been a hell of an lot more easier thanks to his sight that no matter what happens to him, he will always be the keenest of sight and he'll be the smartest because his knowledge knows better than him. Just close by the burrow den, there was a lone father with his early teenage son who hasn't seemed to age over the months or years; it looks like that time's lost effect on him, oh well at least he can't get old now

With this newfound information he led the lone mother over in the distance where Tabari and his son were, having been training out here to counter whatever attacks that there were from unseen hidden locations of his environments. Tabari looked up to find that Kukuza approached with Bunga on her back, he then told his son as he leaned over to his ear: "Get inside, we have a volunteering foster mother coming" Jeyluxhal felt disoriented as he saw spiral afterimages in his eyes, nodding with throbbing pain in the brain as he headed in the burrow den; hiding himself from out of sight as Bunga noticed him. That's when Tabari moved in to confront them: "State the name of business before me" He spoke in a low voice as he looked calm on the outside, but was not the case on the inside as he refused to find an new mate

"Who was that just now-?" Bunga asked him

"Bunga... like you want to know, that was my son and he's in no mood to have a foster mother help out with the life of trauma he has faced since that night ago" Tabari growled a little at first before coldly stating that he doesn't need another maternal figure to help raise him, he is not giving up Najira for her

"I won't be much of a embarrassment to him if he's going out with his friends, it's not-" Kukuza was interrupted by him

"If you're looking to raise him as his mother than there's no need as I am taking more than good care over him, this is what she wants best for him as we have both left behind our lives and she told him directly that he wants him to let her murderers feel the anger and sorrow he felt from that night; forever be brave in the face of the lions who've wronged us both..." Tabari refused her aid and recalled the words that her mate told their son

Bunga was lost as of this time and went to check on Jeyluxhal to see what he's doing, bypassing the two adults that were talking while he headed inside the burrow den; finding him easily in the shadows while also noticing the art he drew. He couldn't help but blush in jealousy when he made such wonderful paintings, he might've splintered a few red marks but that's nothing to be so worried about; he'll just clean them off no worries just like the tune he's singing through his whistling

The hyena however wanted nothing more of him than to leave as not only is he whistling Hakuna Matata which he hates that song, but he dared taking a step forward to touch the bloodstains of his mother. That's when Kukuza looked inside to find Jeyluxhal approaching Bunga, who looked over to him; assuring him that he won't be bothering him while he's helping cool the situation and besides, he's a excellent sitter so he will go by with whatever he requires. Just think of him like his favorite uncle

Jeyluxhal didn't give a damn about him as he just took his ears with his paws, wrapping his face with his arms as he hates him already. Bunga seeing that the hyena was becoming annoyed by him tried to tell a joke that while it's gonna be bad of course, it's supposed to be funny even if it's not; which was kind've hard for him until he saw his faded scars on his skin, coming up with something on the spot

Thank god Fuli can't hear his inner thoughts or she'd have his ass for cracking a joke about her spots that she couldn't change, her being a cheetah and all that; oh dammit there he goes again. Ah well might as well cheer him up about his hard times. "Hehhehheh, there's not a whole lot of reflective surfaces out here in the Backlands aren't there? Talk 'bout there being no respite for the scavengers fightin' over the last piece of antelope" He poked fun at his scars which he then stroked on his fur as Jeyluxhal nudged away from him using his snout

Surprisingly, Jeyluxhal smiled as he stifled his giggles before slowly breaking out in laughter as he joined in the trio and though he sounded like an madman as he did back then; this was more strained as well as shaky for his throat. His eyes were boiling with hidden rage behind a group of vocals that made him who he was. He stopped laughing to give off a response in his language that he could've ended up with worse than his scars, turning to Bunga specifically as both eyes were clear to read that he was angry; in his face he told him the punchline that his nose could be gushing in soaking blood right about now, continuing to laugh as Kukuza read his expression to translate what he was saying but relied on Tabari to help her out. It seemed all of it was going good as his son was quite the comedian, but if the two realized that this was more of a warning turned nasty habit that he picked up from Banzai; this wouldn't have happened next

Bunga leaned over to ask him as Jeyluxhal was still laughing like a madman but was more lively and deranged sounding, his goofy expression of happiness was just a mask to hide his boiling hot irritation for making something so insensitive about him. "Your nose could be gushing blood right about... what did you mean by tha-!" Without warning Jeyluxhal quickly turned with a feral bear like snarl before lunging at Bunga's nose to crush in between his fangs, sounds of bones cracking and snapping were near deafened by his cry of agony

"AAUUGHHOWWW! AAUGHOOWW-!" Three mini streams of blood squirted horizontally outwards from the sides as it flickered out to stain his upperbody floof, his snout and even underneath the sides of his eyes that showed what he really felt

The hyena released him as Bunga held his nose before exiting the burrow den. "OAWGH! AUGH! Oh that hurt, that hurt! Where's Rafiki when you need him?" He stumbled out as Jeyluxhal's new expression had the same disgusted look towards Scar on his face, made even worse when his supposed replacement for Najira scolded him

"Jeyluxhal, NO! That's enough, we do not bite other animal's noses off like that!" Kukuza dared to lay a paw on Tabari's son through smacking him on the back, her scolding nature kicked in as he instead hissed at her

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Jeyluxhal let out a harsh but hoarse like roar against as if telling her that she knocks it off herself

Jeyluxhal became overwhelmed with boiling rage as he ran off in the distance, throwing a load of angry grunts to hisses; as if he was throwing a tantrum while he ran away like he was being rejected under society. Though it was more like when the Penguin was rejected as mayor thanks to playing a stinkin' city like Gotham like a harp from hell, heheheh out of revenge for taking the Batmobile and framing Batman for the death of the Ice Princess. Disappearing in the horizon as Tabari approached her furiously while tending to the nose of Bunga, confronting her about the behavior she showed to his son; the two of them argued while the honey badger wrapped the rest of his nose with some herbs filling in the wounds, taking a seat on a rock as he breathed out

Looking back to where the hyena ran off, he rested on the rock for a few minutes before heading off on the trail of Kukuza's stubborn foster son who refuses her services; he just wants to help him find another mother to bond with. Is that too evil for him to accept?

Later that following afternoon the honey badger found our hyena overlooking the setting sun from the cliffs, not wanting to be interrupted from his presence as his eyes narrowed as soon as he heard his entrance from the bushes. Bunga muttered to himself about how long it took for him to find him here, it was even worse than when he led them to Flat Ridge Rock; he just cannot for the life of him remember that there's a shortcut that he can take to lead them over to there more easily. He made his way over to him as he sat down next to his body

"That was some number you did on my nose back there awhile ago, you made me feel like I fell off from the cliffs into a cluster filled with thornbushes; at least those mosquitoes tasted good as usual over there. Listen I just wanted to let you know what you've did back there was-" Bunga was interrupted as Jeyluxhal let out a soft growl, though it was not out of remorse

He can't see much of his face but he can definitely tell that he has nothing to say to him, even with or without a voice he wanted nothing of him; but that wouldn't stop him to try and make it up to him for giving him an adoptive mother that neither of them wanted. He laid down on his back as he looked up at the sky that was darkening out here

"I don't know her too well to be honest and I thought that I could help her out by bringing her to you, seeing how you have no mother. I have no parents and I was raised by my two uncles, Timon and Pumbaa just like how Simba was when he was a cub back then; they taught me the ways of living without worries in your life. Seeing how much stress you're dealing with from a father who wants you to leave behind the memories of that night he mentioned but refuses to talk about it to anyone, I have to ask: Why is it the one who looks like he's need of living without worries in your life the one who rejects the ways of Hakuna Matata is you? Don't you want to live one day at a time, there's nothing you can do to go back and fix-" Bunga misinterpreted his father's words and proceeded to unintentionally anger him further by criticizing him for being stubborn towards rejecting both of his uncle's lifestyle

Jeyluxhal's hidden rage became worse as he heard him heaving more frequently, taking him by the nose to pinch hard which increased the pain for him after it was bitten by him; "Ow!" He took back his bleeding nose that was wrapped in bandages, now he was facing him with an expression that demanded that he get out; being the bravest of the Lion Guard he refused as Bunga stood his ground

"You're not making this easy, all I want is for you to have a mother for yourself; she's lonely as she told me before when I met her. Just be nice for once and-" Bunga was smacked off to the side by him

Jeyluxhal's expression told him that he had a mother, her name was Najira and Kukuza has no right to replace her even in death; he would rather be with his father than have her follow his steps acting like she was the queen of his world. He repeated himself to him to be clear: she has no right to be a mother to him and she was never a caring figure towards him, what it was that he wanted now was for her to die; he doesn't want to give her a chance nor does he want to live with something who constantly insults and puts down others to act like she's better than them. Shenzi never acted like this to him and she was no hero, but she was the only mother that he felt comfortable with before reuniting with his father. He spat in his eye and ran off out of the fact that Bunga had done what he does best for the Lion Guard according to him: make everything worse for others. Turning to face him as he called out: "Just give her a chance and if she doesn't work out for you in a few days then she can leave!"

He turned to give him a face that told him that he'll get his chance when he fixes his damn membrane and learn not to interfere in his business! Vanishing into the bushes as he left Bunga, hurt under his words for calling him a braindead moron who should've left him to mourn her in his own way. Come to think of it this was more like how Fuli was after revealing that she enjoyed being alone, she enjoyed it and she never wanted to be more so than she does right now. Now he can understand her because they've tried to have her included, but there's a difference between wanting to be alone with themselves and just being a dick. Fuli admitted that though she's a lone hunter who hates interference from her hunts, she would rather have friends that she feels comfortable surrounding herself with; Jeyluxhal is not what she would've been acting like if she was stubborn, that's a different story

Nevertheless Bunga remained unconvinced that he was better off being with his father than without a mother, so he hoped that he would give her a chance and thinking back to when he reacted to that joke he made about his scars; all he was trying to do was cheer him up and he has to go and bite his nose like that? Why does he even reject his help? "It was a joke..." He told himself as if he's telling him off for biting his nose

"It was... a joke" Bunga breathed one out as he repeated himself before moving on, no need to dwell here anymore; though he can't help but shed a tear that he wiped away

* * *

**FULI AND THE SILENT HYENA**

Nothing to Jeyluxhal has made him feel more soothed as he leaned back from the hot mud springs while watching what entertainment there was in front of him, leaning back to enjoy the one and only tournament between the crocodiles which was called the Mashindano; it's not usually held here but rather at Lake Matope. Which is where he was right now in fact as it was just a mile below from where he had a buckseat with himself, sinking in further until his stomach was submerged. His arms were resting behind him on the sides while he stayed in a comfortable position, breathing out through his nose and keeping himself in peace

That was when two cheetahs approached from the distance as the two of them were Edeni as Eden is what the others called her and Imani which an specific associate called her Faith, they approached Jeyluxhal from behind as Faith flopped down next to him as she's the one with a disability; that being a curled tail while Eden was the one who was paranoid as grooming her sister was something that calmed her down but as soon as she saw Jeyluxhal, she just had to groom his entire scalp. She needed the soothing relaxation, everyone's out to kidnap her and Faith because the Lion Guard helps the animals once as it's their responsibility now to ensure that's them that don't fall into trouble again; they will not help them again but to others that was a farcry from the truth. There are no limits to how many times the Lion Guard will save another animal's life, Eden's paranoia towards unexpected ambushes from others is what causes her sister to step in and take the excessive grooming. Eden took a position near Jeyluxhal as she began to stroke him with her barbed tongue that was armed with hundreds of sharp miniature fangs that made up the barbed spikes facing forward

Jeyluxhal had no mind of Eden grooming him if it wasn't so horrifically painful as she chooses the worst spots to lick him on, he took the pain many times after he came out of the hot mud springs. No matter where he goes Eden would follow from behind, being atop of him which is slowing him down a little bit as he carried heavier dead animals for Shenzi's Clan back then as that's when he was still acting like her servant that she didn't ask for. Faith followed close as she gave him a sympathetic look towards him all the time, she was just so paranoid about every animal who was coming to unexpectedly ambush her to kidnap the two of them. Jeyluxhal's mind showed no payment to the heeded look on her face as his skin was being numbed with the tongue of a cheetah. In fact, this was starting to make him more paranoid than before as she never stopped even when he slept

She would also nibble at him but it was her excessive grooming that began to draw blood out onto his skin, it spiraled out down to the point that her barbed tongue bypassed his fur as she now had total access to his naked skin; cutting open with multiple scrapes among scratches as he was heaving more vocally. He felt no pain, just felt cold in his veins when he collapsed on the ground; shortening his vocal heaves into short internal stutters that sounded like sobbing but it was more dried tears that wouldn't stream down. Eden was slowly killing him with her grooming but Faith came to the rescue when he couldn't bare it anymore, being free for the moment allowed him to breathe a hell of a lot more easier than normally. Eventually it came to a end when she returned her focus to him as she started grooming his underbelly, each to every spot that he had on him was not safe from her paranoia; nothing was safe from nibbles that hurt less and her grooming that was ripping his skin to slowly kill him from the inside. A time that it takes for the grooming to end was always been ten to twenty minutes, but Eden was a full 72 hour late shift to no end service

Blood started to stream down to the solid earth, dripping into small puddles that made both his hind legs shiver noticeably; he hasn't slept ever so peacefully because of the pain while a drink would not satisfy him, food became meaningless to eat and occasional bathroom trips could not release him of the pain he felt. For no matter how much varying meat he ate, the warm water that flowed down his throat or how many times he rested against Faith's body; nothing in the Backlands can relieve him of the scars that were now more than markings of his brutal history between him and Banzai. The clawmarks became runny, the bitemarks on some parts of his fur streamed down like falls and the bruises bled upon contact. Did this in some other way ever end for him? Fate would step in to release him of his bindings

Fuli stalked from the tall grass as she snuck close to the springbok as she lowered herself, the tension was high but her hunger was devouring her stomach; she closed her eyes and let her ears be the guiding key to taking this antelope down with one strike. Once her ear twitched she opened her eyes and leapt out to strike upon hearing the sound, all while her internal voice told the springbok that there is no escape. Taking the life of her prey with a swipe of her claws, she began feasting upon her success. Nothing like the feeling of victory as no one outruns her just as much as no one out pizza's the hut, as that is worse than the original sin by making pizza that was better than Pizza Hut and is a illegal act that shall be punished through execution. Once she finished up her ear twitched over to the right side, something's wrong as she followed her instincts, coming over to the bushes where she exited through; though did not expect a hyena power walking a little bit past her bleeding, before running as Eden and Faith ran after him and pounced on his back. It's them again, jesus; she must've done one hell of a number on him. Might as well get it over with then because the Guard would help those in need, no matter be thy friend or foe

Fuli was a queen cheetah whose unexpectedly soft fur was a bumblebee, butter and pineapple yellow while her underbelly was an peach; touch of sunshine to chiffon, italian straw yellow and cream tanish white color while her paws both front and hind were among the same color. Her spots were a carob, saddle and penny brown with the tint of goldenrod brown being thrown in so they can be seen easily in the sun. Her eyes were a juniper to pine green. Five rectangular spots with smaller ones from within, there were three more on either side of her face while a small heart shaped spot on her head; on the back happened to be the kind of arrowhead like shape that the Avatar himself who was once the last airbender of the Air Nomads but have since repopulated following the end of the Hundred Year War with the Fire Nation. Also on her back there were two of the same heart shaped spots as the one on her head was bigger than it was, some are solid while others have hollowed centers; inner ears shared the same brown rims as her eyelashes were black. Her snout was also a lighter penny brown trapezoid shaped bridge, being lithe and thin with a lightened frame; large pointed ears and a long tail that's tapered at the base. A sharp a prominent jaw with her left shoulder emboldening the dark marmalade orange mark. She was confident, independent and not afraid to admit that she's the fastest of the Guard; quick to grasp the seriousness of whatever dangerous situations that there were. Like Jasiri, she was a tomboy and among her dislikes were common as water or specifically being dipped in the liquid because who would like that for a cat like her; Nala of course but that ain't the point now is it? Getting muddy is a more reasonable factor, gotta keep that fur clean as it's a survival instinct. Bugs including the termites as those wood devils are a bitch to deal with though not to Bunga. Having her fur of all things being touched now that one is just stupid, oh and baboons too; can't forget them. She also detests odors like our honey badger's stink spray and displays firm authority should Kion be absent, you know she's gotten nightmares of baboons chasing her before but even they cannot catch her if they can. Patience is not on her side and seems to be unaware that her kind has limits. Finally, she's harsh and fierce when confronting those who do not respect the Circle of Life but even though she was temperamental among the Guard; she was just one big lovable soft fur feeling cheetah altogether

She came over to both Eden and Faith who were both grooming for the former and watching him cover his face with his arms for the latter, knowing them two for the fact that the former was known for being paranoid to the point of keeping other animals fur clean as possible as it was a survival instinct to remove all traces of scent and prey from their fur so that none of the kidnappers would come to take them away. Fuli knew that Eden picked the most unlikeliest animals of all to groom but did she ever know that she was slowly killing this hyena from her excessive grooming? Blood from the scraping cuts she left on his fur came down to form little puddles from a few drops out of his fur that her tongue bypassed to get into his skin, this was painful for someone who was hairless and someone who was short furred. Faith reached into his ear to clean it as she was softer if not slower than her sister, Eden couldn't even sleep out of paranoia that the kidnappers would also take this hyena whose endured her grooming and when she had to break her cycle; she would resort to nibbling as she targeted his underbelly. Lightly biting his primordial pouch as that finally made Fuli step in to intervene

"Edeni come on, let's not bite there; this hyena's clean enough already and clearly does not want to be groomed for a week after this" Fuli took Eden by the back of her head with the help of Faith at her side, though the paranoid cheetah would not relent her assault of tongue stroking against his scarred body. Once again she bit his primordial pouch lightly though had gotten more to nibble. "Edeni...! Seriously, he's been bleeding for who knows how long you chose to protect him from those kidnappers; they're not coming for either of you!"

Jeyluxhal peaked through the unnoticeable narrow crack in between his arms to find that Fuli was taking matters into her own hands with Faith helping her out, Eden's relentlessness was going to kill him; even his hidden face was telling her that he was going to die from this. He's died once before when he saw his mother be ripped to pieces, he will not die twice again as Baridi has not been defeated under his paws that bled. Eden was removed from him at last as Fuli drove her off from the hyena who stood back up, relieved that she was no longer cutting him constantly with her tongue. His expression told her that she didn't come this way to save him and nothing more, asking if she wanted something in return; though because he did not speak using any form of speech it would be reasonable she doesn't know what he's saying, it didn't mean she would try to translate what his face reads

Before she could say something Jeyluxhal curled his neck around her head with his paw caressing her back and forth three times before departing, nodding with his usual face he alone could pull off himself though still looked like he was drained; he quickly left afterward as Fuli looked to where he walked off to. She was going to tell him that she doesn't like having her fur being touched, but figured something else: "I'll get the chance to tell him if we meet again, Ono mentioned seeing him around here so no doubt this is where he lives"

Few weeks came and went off as Fuli chased down a imported water buffalo from India, not used to the African environment around him he ran from her predator whose kind seemed to prey upon hoofed creatures like him. The chase was on for hours as she ambushed him when there was the chance to leap out and strike, attempts to fight back of any kind were dealt and countered with. When it all boiled down to fooling her, he had to use her speed burnout as it was the best way to escape, there were no other ways to escape her as testing any tactics out would prove to be fatal. She was on the prowl and tracking him, her hind paws were stinging out of stamina but showed little care to the weakness she was bringing onto herself; he wanted to live and so it would come down to this. Sooner or later she felt the burnout and stopped for a few moments

The water buffalo covered his tracks enough to leave Fuli to fall off a cliff so that she would not chase him anymore, the queen cheetah had searched through the Marsh Forest before finding the scent again; now she had him. No matter the feeling of brimstone on her hind paws she is determined to have that buffalo, she followed the scent on the specific path that led her into the woods. Traversing through some leaves but stopped short when she got down low to see what was up ahead of her, the water buffalo that unknown to her was taking advantage of this as she can no longer run because of her burnout; pulsing with pain and gave a level of stinging blisters but no actual ones could be found on her. Once she was in position that was when he got close to her enough to ram her off the cliff, giving her no time to react as she was thrown off; that'll be the last that he sees of her before leaving proudly

Fuli landed on a tree branch that extended outward as she climbed on, it was just on top of an outward extended bluff as well; water lied below her as it turned out to be a watering hole but she's not willing to get down that way. But she'll find- god dammit all, she dived into the hole of water with a splash and came out as fast as she could; now all that was left was to let the heat of the sun dry her off. In the meantime however there was another side that needed attention of course

Jeyluxhal came to the Marsh Forest after running from his former friends that he refused seeing, but that didn't mean he had let them touch him after so long; he needed the time to be away as he will not go back home because of how persistent Kukuza was in wanting to be a mother for him. Can she not tell that he doesn't want her? It's frustrating to find a woman obsessed with a early teen like him, but that wasn't the case as she's looking for a excuse to mate with his father and be a half-brother to her spoiled son the two of them had. Instead he just played with a tiny little kitten that mewed at him a couple of times, licked him in the eye before running off on it's own

While the heat of the sun was beating down on him, nothing on the Pride Lands could have him be occupied with Kukuza's excessive want to mate with his father; neither of them want to be with her nor want to have her in their affairs. He is faithful to the end towards Najira and only then at the fall of his nemesis, he can let her spirit rest with them. He stopped in his tracks to see a spec of yellow and brown just behind the tall grass near the watering hole, it must be her no doubt because she was after that water buffalo; everyone's going ape shit over it so that would be a treat worth having. He has no interest in it but she does like to try new things, and so he hid behind while he peaked on her

She's just out here soaking up the sun and once she felt like that she was dried off enough, it was time for her to find her way back to the Pride Lands; it was just like the time that Kion got separated from them and to make their way to Flat Ridge Rock in order to meet up with them and it shows as she's alone with no one else. But what else happened with Kion? He met the unlikeliest hyena that he's ever seen, now knowing that there's more than what he knew of them. Come to think of it she's being spied on and no doubt about that as she can feel eyes on her, it's her instincts and gut feeling that's giving this information to her mind. She's not stupid though she was a little arrogant, but that's alright as she decided to play along to the situation in order to discover who was her little peeper

Without turning to face the tall grass and slicking the last of her back into place, she went to tell to herself outloud as if she was being playful: "Why, I feel like I'm being watched..." Her tone sounded like he was teasing him as that was the case indeed, calling out to whoever it was watching her to come out: "You can come out from hiding now, whoever you are that is"

Jeyluxhal's expression responded with a simple: "Alright" as if he's talking with a grave voice, and so he retracted from behind the tall grass while Fuli kept a look that appeared she was in some way awaiting for an ambush to happen. He softly took two steps with paws, retracting them back for a few seconds and finally leaping out from the side in a combat like stance; he was lowered but stood tall a little bit as his appearance was now exposed to her. Fuli took an few moments before being taken back, feeling like her blood was draining out as she saw her lone animal spying on her warming up in the sun. It was the same hyena from a few weeks earlier as she took Eden off of him with Faith's help, her expression softened but remained as temperamental at times; though showed no sign of resorting to violence as the situation here was giving her a reminder of Kion's mission to regroup with the Guard

"Never thought I'd see you again, that water buffalo from India might've thrown me off but I am not defeated; there was something I was about to say from before until you left" Fuli told him as she remained confident that she's holding her ground

Jeyluxhal's next expression told her that her water buffalo could barely hold his bladder if he sees her prowling towards him, he would be spillin' out with that enuresis (medical term for wetting one's self) that he can't help but make everyone else know that he's a bedwetter to be publicly rightfully shamed of himself. Fuli took her time translating his facial expression and understood what he was saying to her, holy hell was he quite the low blower to that one buffalo that she will hunt before everyone else. However seeing that this was more directed towards her confidence, she taunted him

"Then come get me..." She taunted Jeyluxhal as he gotten down low, but the hyena showed no interest as his focus was on her hind paws that were stinging with brimstone; thighs were shaking a little while her breathing was medium in between low but getting heavy. That was when he came over to her though she warned him to keep his distance, doesn't know what he was up to. Jeyluxhal was not intimidated as he instead insisted that she should've just left him to be groomed to death by Edeni. "This is what that's about isn't it? It wouldn't be right if I didn't help a enemy in need, the Guard helps all and you were no exception" Fuli informed him

Breathing out through his snout he stopped in his tracks close to her as he looked back to the sun, turning back to get underneath her from the side to lift her though not without little bit of resisting as she didn't expect him to do this to her; this is what she wanted to tell him as he was finally kept at bay with her paws on his upperchest. "Listen, I really don't like having my fur touched; no matter how unbelievably soft it is according to the others. Well, Timon and Pumbaa and the others of the Lion Guard to be specific"

Jeyluxhal's face bluntly stated to her that he was not convinced that her untouchable fur was that soft according to the meekrat that tried to hit on his adoptive mother and her team, thus he broke off from her defense as he then finally lifted her onto his back; he's not touching if he was not using his paws. "That's not the point" She told him as her words seemed to have now fallen on deafened ears. Once he started moving out with her on his back, she got into an more comfortable position as she insisted to him. "I can get back to the Guard myself, you didn't have to go and carry me like this; you're making me look like a spoiled princess to the coalition's matriarch. They'll start hating me because they're jealous and suggest you do the same for them" Fuli reasoned with him though Jeyluxhal's stubbornness was fully displayed when he stopped in his tracks and turned to her with half of his face

Translating from his expression she was told that she is in no condition to run back to her own friends and team back to the Pride Lands, not from that burnout that was caused by the water buffalo needing to escape her claws after being chased a little bit deeper into the forest. He's got a debt that needed to be repaid to her after showing kindness to him, she didn't judge his appearance nor his kind's history with the lions and other animals. This was more of a no-win argument that she can't reason with, though she relented the queen cheetah told him when she leaned into his ear: "Acquaintances like yourself carry no debts for others like me, there's little I know about you but from what I've learned so far" Jeyluxhal slowed his walk as he gave his nod and carried his signature expression, moving on through the Marsh Forest

Jeyluxhal knew where he was going as it was a shortcut to the Pride Lands that led from that cliff he found Fuli soaking up the sun and is taking with her back to where she belonged, all while the cheetah herself told him about the times that she had with the Guard both of the good and the bad. How Bunga which made him snarl enough to bare his fangs didn't tell the others that there was a shortcut earlier that they could've taken on their way to Flat Ridge Rock to regroup with their leader Kion. How each of them tried to make her feel included like a member of the family in their activities because she spends too much time alone and how their king scolded his son about not choosing lions for the Guard that he would lead on as he proceeded to yell at him for treating this like it was a playdate, Jeyluxhal gave out soft growls as he knew who the new king was. He hasn't forgotten Simba, he will get what's coming to him when he meets him and when he gets his chance to scratch him the same way he did to Shenzi. It's clear that he loves his daughter more than his son and there's no denying it. Fuli lightly slapped him to stop him from thinking about those thoughts about their king, he doesn't play favorites but Mufasa's father Ahadi sure did to counteract her telling him off. He dominates the Pride Lands in his name but he sure doesn't dominate being the greatest of fathers, afterwards the queen cheetah was silent for most of the trip back to the lands. Still though, Fuli had to wonder why he was such a lone mute who had no friends or had no one to live with; this curiosity would be answered when the two would come to a point where it was too dark to continue onward. Jeyluxhal displayed some characteristics of a horse at times as well for that matter

Hours later when sunset came it was time to set up a campsite as Jeyluxhal went off to build an bed shed alone uninterrupted from others while Fuli gathered some kind of fire to warm up in the night. In her boredom she resorted to sharpening her claws on some trees and to kill some of the time recited some tunes in her head like My Own Way and others her teammates sung, that was when he finally came back to find that he built her something that only a few animals could build but acted like a one man construction crew altogether. It was lowered for her to climb onto easier as well as plop down on the bed as it was layered with some grass patches to rest atop of, but it was also heightened to provide a roof to rest under with heated flooring underneath

"Hmm, bed shed with heated flooring; talk about living a luxury with you around" Fuli's response was met with Jeyluxhal walling off the shed to complete it as she took this spot as her own, in the next moment he vanished once more into the bushes. "What is he up to now?"

Heaving sounds of prolonged jaw aching and gravelly husk filled grunts followed as he dragged the water buffalo into her view, having fallen into an trap that he was blind to notice when he was trying to find a way out after being lost for hours. The water buffalo was beaten with some kind of baseball bat like weapon that Jeyluxhal held in his mouth that was studded all over on the main head itself. Flattened but sharpened pyramid shaped spikes were stripped all around and it appeared to be a kind of heavy makeshift weapon because of him heaving as he held it on it diagonally upward on it's side. But it was taking the water buffalo out that did a number on him, those battle scars weren't for nothing

"Someone's been reading my mind, no wonder that same someone was not being very talkative for a hyena" Fuli got down from the shed and came to the water buffalo with Jeyluxhal offering his kanabo to deal the final killing strike, though she declined as her claws should be more than enough to peel back this buffalo's skin; and it seemed he was right because this water buffalo made a mess on the ground when shaking in fear of her sight. "Remember me? Now the two of us can even the odds, _huwezi!_" With her battlecry she preformed the killing blow on the water buffalo that she's been chasing down while Jeyluxhal watched on and proceeded to leave for the time being. Though she would not have that as she took him by the back of his neck to bring him back here, the two of them were going to share the hardwork done by him

Dinner had done little to have Jeyluxhal interacting with Fuli who was glad to have tried out an new thing as it was worth having something imported from India, and though the hyena tried to unbalance the amount through giving her the most of the food while he took an average amount but the queen cheetah expected this action from him and threw more over to his side. He took this offer as he tore it in half to throw the other towards her, seems like he was in no mood to take it all as if he was one of Janja's boys. Could he be one of Jasiri's friends? He seems to act like it and there's no questioning that, afterwards with a burp from the two of them Fuli's scratch started to bleed a little bit; which had Jeyluxhal come over to lick her wound for a short time before he retracted, checking on his wounds to see if any of them were fresh

Dipping her paw into a puddle to sprinkle on her wound and finding it stinging, she took a scoop of it to see if any of his were fresh; proving to be true as she did the same to him which had him growl in his throat as if he was angry with her. That was not the case with him as he calmly went back to licking his fresh wound received from getting cut from the trap that he set up earlier on, perhaps that was not such a good idea. Ah well, sooner or later the two of them decided that it was too dark to stay up any further as she slept in the bed shed while Jeyluxhal slept near some short cliffs that led down to a hour length patch of forest before them that led close to the Pride Lands

Late into the hours of the morning she awakened as though the bed shed was comfortable, she can't stop thinking about what's bothering him so much that he doesn't want to talk to her; not even once making a sound that resembles some sort of speech. Looking over to him she decided against coming over to him as not only was it rude for her to just invite herself in, there's no way in hell that she's willing to make a even worse heated incident. But she can see that she is an risk taker as she stood up to take him over to her bed shed which was wide enough for two, laying her head on his chest as she never got to know him more beyond helping him from Edeni and her constant grooming; learning from Rafiki that told her how to view the dreams of others she went ahead to drift off while witnessing his dreams become her own

...

...

In his dreams there came moments that were unseen for sometime to the viewers that had the others wondering why he was always looking so distant and just plain sad, now she knows the truth as she can see it as clear as the rising daylight. He was a pup who was born of Najira who was his mother that he has not seen since that night in the Backlands, he was being comforted from the bullies that made him feel lonesome and sad as well as powerless. Bullies didn't seem to understand why he enjoyed the things he did but when something is not understood, they show what they really think of the things he does. He loved art the most and others were proud of him for that dexterous ability he has with his paws, what he loved more than that was both his father Tabari and his mother Najira so that whenever he felt sad; he remembered he would be back with the ones he loved. The two never stopped to make him happy and this wasn't all like this as though he was bullied, he had his friends and to him he missed the part where he's supposed to care that they were jerkasses towards him

The night that Najira died proved to be the hardest thing he could dealt with as he was denied revenge because he wasn't grown up like his father to take them on, he didn't know where his father was and now that they're hunting for him he left as soon after his father discovered her remains. Breaking down worse than Amos for the death of his son Cedric on the aftermath of the third task from the TriWizard Tournament, which Voldemort was responsible for so there's no reason for it to be permanently discontinued with no further ones held even with some new restrictions set in place. Tabari yelled out in anger and threw a rampaging tantrum, while having a meltdown as he stepped inside his burrow den; he destroyed everything around him while his cry could only be heard by Baridi who actually followed on his threat. Tabari's eyes spelled out bloodlust and retribution for the one who was victimized from that exile of a lion

Few flashes later came the young battered hyena pup that was once Tajiuva and now Jeyluxhal who took up residence with Shenzi's Clan, he just sat there alone in his own den in the new kind of home he lived in for most of his childhood; other times he would break down in front of his adoptive mother when her blood stained his face and his paws. Other times he wouldn't come to eat with the trio and at times took Banzai's refusal to call him his son too hard, but he would NEVER backstep out of the fight with him as that's where much of his scars came from. Shenzi once came to his area to bid him a good night when he saw him have that distant look from his face, neither of the two were aware that Tabari watched on from the shadows and to him this looked all too familiar of a sight. Shenzi came to know that look on his face when she met him once, informing her about what happened but not wanting him to know as it's his responsibility as his father to tell his son the truth behind his pain

Shenzi knew that look as it was the first expression on his face when he had one of the roughest and hardest day that became the longest night that she could remember, taking him in after his mother was ripped to pieces by Baridi and the Outlanders. Behind that motherly nature that he brought out in her she had no idea how to handle him, he had never known her before and she never saw him cry out endless tears; just calling out for his mother and father, just wanting to go home again. This was a painful process to cope with but with her clan he's built a nice and stable family with them

Until the return of Simba and the betrayal of Scar from the Battle of Pride Rock when his family in Shenzi's Clan vanished forever, a few more flashes came to the first months of living back in his home in the Backlands where he visited the remains of her in a dark cloudy morning; now as this was Jeyluxhal's dream of his memories he did indeed have a voice that acted like his real one, though he was in no mood to talk and this was a dream so there's that chance that he may not sound like he does here. His assumed voice was of a thick Jamaican accent but clear to the ears without resorting to using patois terms since this was based off Dennis from Far Cry 3 as well as the stern voice that states that this game is Rated M for Mature in commercials, mixed in there was a gravelly and husky tone that sounded like an human cupping a mouth to their shoulder speaking softly but with some authority in the tone; also added to the mix was Charles Smith from RDR2 that seemed to dominate the overtone of what he sounded like which gave him a foreign vibe. Finally, it had a baritone Jonathan Young like range while his father was full on Ivan Moody if it came down to singing; this was especially apparent when the two visited the grave

There was no other way to express their loss of a loving mate to beloved mother, frustration of how Baridi snatched her before it was both of their times to leave and their anger towards the ones who followed through on their threat to kill them both. She knew the sacrifice she made but it felt no different to when it was all just in vain, therefore Tabari consulted Kuplinka's father which he came up with a song that remained unsung by him as he wanted him to sing it with his son. He did indeed as though in the real world it was mentally, this dream showed it all and so it began as Fuli listened to the tune as music started to play:

(A/N: Gone Away by Five Finger Death Punch, this is a duet between Tabari and Jeyluxhal as the mourning for the loss of Najira never went away; but she did when she made her sacrifice all for her son to live while her husband was absent. This music number will have the names to distinguish who is singing this, followed by the things that happen in the song like the fade out at first before the drums)

(TABARI):

_Maybe in another life_

_I could find you there_

_Pulled away before your time_

_I can't deal, it's so unfair_

_And it feels_

_And it feels like_

_Heaven's so far away_

_And it feels_

_Yeah, it feels like_

_The world has grown cold_

_Now that you've gone away_

...

...

(JEYLUXHAL):

_Leaving flowers on your grave_

_Show that I still care_

_Black roses and Hail Marys_

_I can't bring back what's taken from me_

...

(JEYLUXHAL):

_I reach to the sky_

_And call out your name_

_Oh please let me trade_

_I would!_

...

...

(TABARI/JEYLUXHAL)

_And it feels_

_And it feels like_

_Heaven's so far away_

_And it stings_

_Yeah, it stings now_

_The world is so cold_

_Now that you've gone away_

_Gone away_

_Gone away_

_Yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_Ooh, yeah ooh ooh_

...

(*THE HOLY SHIT THIS IS BADASS SOLO*)

...

(TABARI)

_I reach to the sky_

_And call out your name_

_Oh please let me trade_

_I would!_

...

(JEYLUXHAL)

_And it feels_

_And it feels like_

_Heaven is so far away_

(Fade out at first before thunder pounding drums come back full force)

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

(TABARI/JEYLUXHAL):

_And it feels_

_Yeah it feels like_

_Heaven's so far away_

_And it stings_

_Yeah, it stings now_

_The world is so cold_

_Now that you've gone away_

_Gone away_

_Gone away_

_Yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah_

_Ooh, yeah ooh ooh_

_Yeah ooh, yeah ooh ooh_

(TABARI/JEYLUXHAL):

_And it feels_

_And it feels like_

_The world is so cold_

_Now that you've gone away_

(End of the song and the end of the dream)

With a fade of white and a flash back to the real world, Fuli awakened from the dream just as her face was stained with tears; now she knew the truth of what hell he went through. She is aware that voice he had might not be what he sounds like in real life but how could a pup get his mother stripped away from him but even worse was that his face was stained with her blood and so was his paws. All this from an hyena, god damn it. She would've felt the same way if it happened to someone else but how could a hyena she fully met in person make her feel this way? Tearing up again she held them back the best she could, no one should see her like this; not even a stranger who held her body close to him and smeared away a tear that was shed, he was rubbing his snout against her forehead as it all subsided for now. It was the earliest in the morning as she looked up to him, though his eyes were still shut he was consciously awake and knew what she saw in his head

He never judged her for delving into his mind and stroked her back and forth with his paw slowly as if she was a cub, subsiding tears for now she just laid there warmed by his fur while for him he was laid against her soft fur in return; the two slept through the earliest morning until it was the sun that came up. Afterwards it was time to return as her hind paws were no longer feeling brimstone burning pain and she can run again, now that she's at her full strength. Although it's something else that was bothering her when he decided to leave her after directing her to the hour worth patch of forest left before reaching the Pride Lands. That was when he placed a paw on his shoulder

"Would you come back with me the rest of the way back to the Pride Lands?" Fuli asked him as he nodded, taking her on his back as he did just that

Throughout the entire time neither spoke as Jeyluxhal focused on the path ahead while Fuli let herself listen to the ambiance of the Marsh Forest that the two of them traversed, he came to the short trench where he descended down from the stones; coming over to the bushes where he saw some flies up ahead that blocked their way. Finding another road to use as he's not once in a good mood to have some flies pester him or her, if he was nice to Bunga as he was to her then he would've taken the opportunity before him. He carried her across the trench of water downstream while passing by the forest, coming to a clearing while he dried himself off; for a few moments he vanished into the bushes as he returned afterwards to find Fuli waiting for him

He was about to take her up on his back again as having weights helped him carry more than his limits, in fact it increased his strength more thanks to training until there was a faint rumble he could hear; his right ear twitched and perked at the sound as she understood the situation. "You might want to excuse me for a minute, had a little too much to drink back there" Jeyluxhal nodded as his expression told her that he's built a place for privacy in times like these for a young lady like her, nothing can be seen from the inside and therefore no one would be watching; as Fuli smirked at him. "Jasiri said she's friends with a hyena who doesn't talk much, but she didn't tell me the half of it; I'll be back in a few minutes, no time to waste unless you want your fur to be more damp than it needs to be in the dry season" Jeyluxhal nodded as she ran off showcasing her speed to the area he directed her towards, letting out a little chuckle as now that what she described would be a real accident if it happens

Finding a stabilized mud mound covered in leaves to sticks with a tunnel, she entered inside to find that there was a deep hole in the middle with some borders that was supposed to make the occupant feel comfortable; closing the door behind her as nothing else was heard but silence. Her thoughts on this was that this looks more like something that Bunga would use if he can't for unexplained reasons control his stink spray, though that's more like stomach troubles; guess it's what happens to him when he eats a little too much of those termites. Ah well, what were the kind of chances like that happening there? True to her word she was back with Jeyluxhal in no time as she was clear for the rest of the way, though one thought came to her mind when they were nearly there. "Where do all these constructs come from?" She looked around to the sides for a short time before looking up ahead with Jeyluxhal walking, not turning to face her as he was just focusing on what's ahead of him

At the end of a long expedition out of the Marsh Forest and to the Pride Lands, Jeyluxhal ended his walk as he slowed down and stopped before lowering himself close to the ground; tilting a little bit upward as she slid down softly. Now his debt was repaid and rightfully so because he enjoyed this time he spent with her, he just wanted to pay his debt he owes for getting Edeni off him; he looked on ahead as she came close to his side

"Thanks for taking me back to the Pride Lands, I still stand for the fact that friends like you carry no debts for others like myself; not after what I just saw last night. You shouldn't have to be all alone like that, just with the ones you feel comfortable with the most; that's what I've learned once when I explained how I never wanted to be alone more than ever other than now awhile back. I'm disappointed that I was just beginning to know you" Fuli thanked him as Jeyluxhal kept his stance

His final expression to her made her come to realize that not once did either of them ask each other's name, seeing how he's carried her out of there with hellbent determination she figured she's in her rights to go ahead and introduce herself first. "My name is Fuli... if it's not clear the first time, then I am the fastest in the Lion Guard; Bunga was the bravest while Beshte is our strongest, Ono is the keenest of sight and Kion is the fiercest as well as our leader"

Jeyluxhal understood as though neither the fiercest nor the strongest interested him, it was the keenest of sight that took him as he wondered who Ono was to be exact; Beshte would of course be more of a hippo if he happened to meet him and Kion was no doubt a lion, after all he's the son of the prince who was exiled from his birthright. He introduced himself through his own way as moved his bangs from his face to show the facial markings he let his father apply to him and the snarling hyena tattoo on his shoulders. His expression told her not to tell the rest as Bunga knows him because of his father and he was responsible for bringing that beastly devil bitch into his life, acting like a foster mother that neither him nor Tabari wanted

"Oh Bunga... that honey badger gets on everyone's nerves doesn't he? He's dead by the time I meet up with the others, Kion's supposed to be leading us on a watch on the western borders. I'm not gonna tell him about you, everyone of us has kept at least a few secrets to ourselves; he won't know about the time we spent together back there" Fuli told him as Jeyluxhal nodded

With a starting leap she ran like never before in the Pride Lands to beat the sun to the Lair of the Lion Guard at Pride Rock, Jeyluxhal watched her run off true to her title as no one can catch her while the wind carries her; it was time to return to the Backlands as he was eager to train some more with his father

* * *

**BESHTE: THE AGE OF DESCRIMINATION**

(A/N: I'm gonna make this one short because for me there's not that much I could do with him and our happy-go-lucky hippo, at least in terms of interaction altogether. This is my stab at the discrimination that he faces as well as our hippo telling him about how even the slightest action is considered offensive. So here it is as racist as it might've been but Jeyluxhal is more than that as he's not exactly a Swahilian like everyone else, he's something different as you will see here. Oh and some added Jeyluxhal/Cheezi fluff is in this segment, Jeyluxhal/Ono fluff in the next one too)

If there was one member of the Guard that Jeyluxhal needed help from the most then look no further than the strongest who was Beshte, a hippo of course as if it's not easy to distinguish a difference between each of the individual members; he's got himself a stout body with thick legs whose nails were a dark basalt purple color while his blubber was a neutral ash violet to gentle grape purple and how funny is that because he's exactly just that: a gentle giant. On his back is three dark mauve spots as his underbelly was paler than his body as it came off as a rhino grey with a soft purple overtone of course up to his lower jawline. His inner ears were a pale crepe pink color and around his eyes were a lighter shade of his body with a short tail, being a slightly obese hippo but he's still built up and appeared to be slightly abnormal for one; his father Basi has a less circular and even admitted that he's not as strong as his son in regards that he's much older. He has a small back upward tuft of upright standing grey eighty five accent colored hair as his snout was large, with square shaped teeth protruding from his upper lips as his eyes were a indigo blue with black eyebrows; the Mark of the Guard's on his left leg with a creamy grey color and at last was his personality as there was no one like him. Enthusiastic and genial of the Guard as he's got a soft demeanor and shows tremendous strength with courage that shows no type of hesitation to charge enemies, he is a bit scatterbrained but doesn't take much to get quite the temperamental and emotional kind as he's moved by touching moments; he also doesn't say an word to keep them alive as well, he's also sensitive to having his feelings hurt so that is not an good sign for when interacting with Jeyluxhal. Finally, he was not keen on letting his father be disappointed in him but unlike Simba; Basi is not that kind of father that the former is to Kion

He was going about his patrol of any sign that there were animals looking to break the Circle of Life here in the Pride Lands, there was some rumors that said that Janja snuck into these lands and is looking to find something to hunt for but no one's seen him for awhile. He was stuck with slowly walking back and forth just waiting to happen when one of his ears perked up, turning to see an hyena heading back to the Backlands where he belonged when a spiral horned antelope who was as big as a bison than him laid on the ground spotting the hyena walking past him. It is here that he was shocked at what he said next when he called out to tell him:

"Oh for the love christ- hey soy-faced banana yellowskin; fetch me something to eat like a bug eater that you jaundice infected coolie hyenas love" The spiral horn antelope demanded while using racial slurs directed at him comprised with their meanings below:

(Soy-faced = Asian stereotype/Banana = white on the inside/Yellowskin = Asiatic variation of redskin/Bug-Eater = Some countries who eat locusts and grasshoppers/Jaundice = Yellow skin infection/Coolie = Unskilled Asian worker)

Jeyluxhal stopped in his tracks while he quaked with boiling heat under the blood flowing from his veins, half turning to face him with an expression that asked him: "You have something to say to me...?" Like he was being insulted because he doesn't know Swahilian well, the spiral horned antelope stood up in full and approached him as he shoved him back when he repeated himself

"I said.. GO FETCH ME *shoves Jeyluxhal* SOMETHING TO EAT: YOU JAUNDICE YELLOWSKIN HYENA" The spiral horned antelope made his statements bold and shoved him during his pause when he repeated himself

Jeyluxhal took him at the spiral horns before headbutting him in the forehead, throwing him to the mud where he stomped hard on the back of his neck to force some of it into his mouth all with a growlish snarl that sounded like a battlecry; he then used two fingers together to point at him declaring with a facial expression that told him to: "Eat that!" as if he was mocking him, he then left with self-satisfaction that didn't last long as the spiral horn antelope spat out some of the mud from his mouth

"You better watch that temper of yours little boy, Simba will have you exiled back to the borders of the Outlands where you and your kind belong; because you're a selfish and gluttonous fatty like Janja is!" The spiral horn antelope called out as Jeyluxhal returned to get on his back, shove some more mud down his throat and leave him to die through choking. All while Beshte looked on in shock at what he's seen

"Oh man what is happening at home with you buddy? You're not like the others but... even I'm starting to question that based on what I heard from Fuli's daydreams" Beshte expressed his concern for him as he followed to his next destination, wanting to investigate if he's what she daydreams that he is

He watched him head on through the lands intruding on no one's business but his own though it was clear the others wanted none of his kind here because of his involvement in Scar's reign as he might've been a rebellious hyena, but he did nothing to help the lionesses when they wanted him out of here just like their former king who brought desolation and ruin to the Pride Lands; he snapped at them for talking behind his back to let them know he is not deaf. Shutting out all events around him as he followed far behind, tailing to his next destination

When they were at some patches of grass that led out to a canyon gorge that was when his mind was interrupted from the sounds of struggling, finding nothing on the left but turning to find a hyena pup punching a few rocks off of him though his waist was not being free from his numbed feeling. Jeyluxhal started heaving at the sight of him when he saw what he looked like and he cannot bare to let him be trapped like that, he immediately went off to rescue him from being pinned down under the rocks; Beshte watched on and was about to interfere when he lifted the boulders off from him, taking him on his back as he just walked on both hind legs. Dropping to the ground when he yelled in pain due to the strain on his back, resulting in a loud cracking snap that had him tumbling over to the edge and holding on

Pain didn't last for long so he had nothing to fear when he rushed in to take him at the neck with his fangs, bringing him onto the ground and lifting him to his back before walking off with him in his hands. Arriving at the Andreas Canyon slanted rock that had a large clearing in the middle as he softly laid him down, treating him like he was his son with a few short grooming sessions as it didn't last too long for him to start bleeding. Once the numbness was gone he can finally thank his savior. "Thanks, I won't forget this debt I owe you" Cheezi thanks him as Jeyluxhal nodded, continuing to make sure that there was no sign of an struggle on him

Cheezi was a small hyena who sported two triangular notches in his right ear and one in his left, both black as well as round at the top and having an berry to garnet red nose that went with his coin to dove purplish grey fur that had a slightly dark porpoise grey tone thrown into the mix of it all. He was one of the lanky bullies though they like himself have their standards as he was not a target since he's one of their own. Long and spiked black mane that quilled toward both of his shoulders outward to the sides a little bit, there were three strands of his mane stuck upwards as all three of them curled forward above his head; having fewer graphite, fog and smoke grey colored spots as two on the sides of his neck than his boss Janja or his comrade Chungu. On his muzzle was the same dark color as his spots while his paws were a dark ebony black to charcoal brownish color, not to mention his signature tongue always stuck out unless he was speaking or singing; not to mention his two front fangs as well for that matter, his tail was thin but scruffy like his mane. He's crazier than he appears and prone to heavy laughter but has a tougher grip on his mission than Chungu being the smarter of the two that Janja has at his side. His underbelly he seemed to love exploiting the hell out of whenever he had the chance was a lemonade and salmon to baby pink color, having a downward arrow on the front center. Finally, he was not at all minding the treatment that Jeyluxhal is giving him as if he was his son; or at least wished he was because to him, he was adorable and he... loved him like one

"You can call me Cheezi, one of Janja's best ever with Chungu" He introduced himself just as he did so through writing his name using his blood that came from his nose, with pronunciation as he had under his name of course which he got it on his first try. Afterwards he just held him by the stomach, fluttering his upper lips like a horse did as well as sputtering like one; he started to rub his snout against his back to scratch it which made him shake about a little bit, his session that consisted of fluff ranked up to eleven when he scratched behind his ears and had him with no control over himself thump on the ground. He placed him down as he got one final canoodle on his ear. "Hapana, I just forget that boss' gonna get mad if I don't bring back something to him from the Pride Lands! That's why he sent me here alone, to make sure there's no attracting the Guard" He explained his reason for being here as Jeyluxhal perked up

He took Cheezi from the back of his neck softly with his fangs and held him from the ground to bring him onto his back, speeding off to where the spiral horned antelope was as he showed him the perfect food for his clan. "First saving me and now this, will I ever see you again? Janja lives in the Outlands and we can't set foot here in the Pride Lands because of the Lion Guard" Cheezi told him as he was met with this response

Jeyluxhal looked to the left for a few minutes and responded with a expression that told him this directly: "To hell with the Lion Guard, I live in the Backlands and you can come to visit me if he ever has you feelin' down; you'll know where I live when you find a burrow den" Kissing him on the forehead in the form of a lick he nuzzled him to move on before the others find him, helping to cut open the throat to allow the mud pour out so it isn't all that dirty. Cheezi nuzzled him back in return as he then took what remained the antelope who shot racist slurs toward him back to the home he had. Jeyluxhal looked on as he had a feeling of fatherly instinct within him, he was just like himself in his time at Shenzi's Clan while he's still a pup back then

Before his memories could take him back to a time that he was a pup in Shenzi's Clan, someone threw a jagged stone against his head as he snapped back to growl at whoever threw that; it was a group of animals consisting of mountain goats, buffaloes to oxen and klipspringers. He was not impressed with them as he stood upright but didn't changed his narrowed eye expression that told them to leave him, a request refused when he tried to leave but was stopped. Without a warning he was forcibly turned to face a mountain gorilla for a split second until he was punched directly in the snout, sending him flying off to the side which he caught onto a stone jutting out of the ground; where one of the two mountain goats powerwalked over to headbutt him and let the gorilla grab him by the throat before throwing him further. Taking a foot on his chest as he told him when he approached

"Oh no... no, you're not walking back to the Outlands where you deserved to live in hyena" The gorilla looked over him but before more damage was done as his nose was bleeding, Beshte had seen enough and intervened as Jeyluxhal sped off

"Are you paying attention? Stop it, now!" The hippo charged and rammed him down to the floor where he pinned him, he then demanded to know the reason for assaulting him. That's when the others started to struggle in coming up with an answer

"Beshte, why are you defending that... that...- that shetani (Devil)? Yeah so we jumped him, but he... just was- we mean...- He- He deserves it! He's a hyena, are you blind? As the strongest of the Lion Guard we expect you to teach him an lesson, about why he doesn't belong here!" The animals tried to argue with him

"You jump him, then proceed to call him a shetani and demand I tell him to get the hell out of the serengeti? That's a new low even for you guys and I thought Janja was selfish, you're even worse than him when that hyena wasn't doing anything wrong to you!" Beshte called them out

"Simba HATES Hyenas, he DOESN'T WANT them in his territory! THEY KILLED MUFASA!" A mountain goat paused in between his words

"That's not the point and Scar killed him, not them. Don't assume that he's just like every one of them, he did you no wrong and you're just being racist; I don't want to talk to you anymore, I'm leaving..." Beshte ended the conversation as he left to follow the hyena

"We're being racist?! HE'S A FREAKING HYENA! We have every right to tell him he doesn't have the right to have the same rights we do to live our lives here, that's no different because that one is like every one of his kind: gluttonous, greedy and a selfish food source hog and in his case a silent cold-blooded killer!" They yelled back at him

"Not from what I've seen, because you're far from the truth..." Beshte spoke with a serious tone as he turned back to face them and then left them to scowl as well as grumble to themselves

Following the blood trail back to the Andreas Canyon rock he found him taking in that of which surrounds him, tired with a horse like yawn to worn out from his wounds and exhausted he just walked up to the back wall as he sat down with his head buried in his knees. Much like that as he was overcome with jealousy that Shenzi would take Timon's proposal, he rested a stone's throw away from Beshte to sit down on the other side and take in the nature around him. He took in a sizable rock to use in anticipation of another assault on him, if he has to attack that hippo then it would be out of self-defense; he just hoped Fuli would understand that. Beshte crept closer and closer to him when a crimson rose swallowtail to scarlet peacock and postman wing butterfly flew over to his bleeding nose. Looking up to find it landed on him as he breathed silently

To Beshte's surprise rather than take out his targeted racism out on it, he let the insect skitter on his arm to his paw where he let out a small smile on his face; admiring it, loving and caring for it as it was something beautiful to see once in awhile that kept him from letting the others take it out on him because he's a hyena who apparently needs to be treated as inferior to them. None above and none below that treatment. He released it as he watched it fly off before he returned to his thoughts. Beshte sat near him just like how Shenzi did when he had issues: "Jasiri told us about a friend who doesn't talk much before, and Fuli started daydreaming about her time she spent with you. I can't blame her since you helped her get back home and hunt that buffalo first" He informed him of how he knew who he was

Jeyluxhal showed no response as his facial expression told him that he has nothing to say to him, he doesn't want to talk to him anymore before he blew in his face; imagining him as a puffball that vanished out of his sight. Beshte however remained unmoved as he decided to cut into a topic that the others seem to agree with him about

"You know I've got some troubles of my own here too, it's the word itself: Racism. No thanks to being misused for just about everything that involves even just a single mention of someone's skin or beliefs, it's now a meaningless word isn't it? I can list more than one example really and Ono would agree: Mentioning your species no matter how innocent you're trying to sound so it doesn't sound like you're acting superior over them, making everyone angry for the fact they can't handle the truth like what happened back there; supporting your kind being a hyena like yourself as well as making a joke towards other animals, judging someone's non-perfect look and not liking whatever someone else likes. You are very self-loathing aren't you...?" He asked him

Jeyluxhal's ear twitched but showed no facial response as he stood up, taking a splintered tree branch that was sharpened; it looked like he was cutting himself as blood started to drip until Beshte took it out of his paws. Throwing it out of his reach where he can't get it back, he let out a volumetric breath from his lungs and stood up to nuzzle his mane; he was lost on what to say next but figured that he could compliment him

"I've never seen such an animal have beautiful dark red mane that would invoke jealousy in the others, you got that from your mother?"

Jeyluxhal nodded faintly as he understood what went wrong with him, he then looked back at the sun that was setting a little bit after noon as he then bent down to face him. With this kind of knowledge in his mind he softly told him. "A lion did this to you didn't he...? I am so sorry..." He left without saying another word as Jeyluxhal's eyes were ringed with crimson, he just wants to be alone for the rest of the afternoon; not to be bothered by others and to be left in peace

However it seemed there's no peace for the hyena as some other jerkass animals like a zebra, a goat to a impala and an alligator though has no relations to other floats like Kiburi or Makuu had approached to harass him. He gave off one warning as he hid his face telling them to leave him him alone, he doesn't want to talk to either of them. Having been denied that request he stood up and unsheathed his claws, eyes ringed with red and no-bullshit scowl on his face drawn as he made it clear to them through his face that there is no escape now

With a leap across the air and a battle cry, the sounds of bones crunching with the swings of an makeshift weapon pierced the silence and shattered his inner battle with himself. All that was left was Jeyluxhal slamming the weapon down with a burning white flash of black, brown and orange to red that surrounded the borders. Nothing else was seen beyond that point...

* * *

**ONO'S UNLIKELY BOND**

You've been expecting this since there was no chemistry between him and Beshte as he wasn't willing to talk anymore, not one facial expression that was known as his way of communicating with others. Realizing the inner demons he was facing, he left him to be alone but never stopped wondering if everything at home was alright; he could see his eyes were saying something but it was clear he didn't want him to be involved. He just had nothing more to tell him and left as he went back to the Lair of the Lion Guard, there are sides to every story as his tale of what starts as retribution for his mother is slowly being poisoned into revenge is just beginning. As nearly all members of the Guard have been met with hostility for bringing in a foster mother, a sense of determination to fulfill a debt owed and refusal to talk about that night in the Backlands; it was all coming down to the second to last member who was the keenest of sight. Like Fuli, there's a event that would lead up to the meeting of our hero so here it was as it began like everything else did; he's minding his business and then a few jerkass animals gang up on him

Jeyluxhal was applying two thick border bands on the top to bottom of both his arms, which he spaced out in between with a small to medium size so that there's room just for the hell of it all; in the bands were a tribal barbed spike and spiral film reel strip with multiple squares that were in between the spaces. This was found just below his snarling hyena mark that was shaped like a smeared hyena's pawprint just as the Mark of the Guard was in the shape of an lion's pawprint that was also smeared. This was a second case that he did no wrong but the animals don't want him here nor do they want to hear the lectures of others, as he finished the application while his split mullet mane was tied back into a short hair knot that went exactly where he wanted it to be; just behind his ears as his bangs were curved forward and overhung above his view, both of his fangs on the front were more bared though the second ones on the sides that were not seen a little more close before was revealed to be curved backwards like a cobra and a little bit out to the sides like a Oni from Japanese Mythology but that's not what matters is it? His tail was given some color like his facial tattoos so that it can match his face as it's what Tabari wanted as he's preoccupied at the moment. Speaking of which he underlined the pattern and left him to color it in as he's watching his son from behind the lines, putting the final touches on the arm bands as well as making his snarling hyena upper arm tattoos look a little more broad without removing his scars of the past as it's a trait of him now that he doesn't want to get rid of

What he did not expect next to happen was that an large and breakable but hard rock is thrown to his direction where Jeyluxhal was struck from both of his eyes, not only blinding him but also injuring him in the process. His father Tabari leapt out to his side where he couldn't open both of his eyes, made worse thanks to the injuries he endured from his jumpers from yesterday that ached when he was being pinned down on that gorilla and his second assault that left multiple marks on him when they tried to blind him to their advantage. His attackers threw more stones at him while shouting to the following: get lost, he's not welcomed here, their prejudice toward him is justified because of their king Simba, he has no rights to roam here and how much of an cold blooded killer he is because he killed some of their loved ones. Tabari endured the insults and their assaults as he approached them, taking one at the throat before biting it's neck to rip out it's meat as he scared the others off from his son. Leaving them screaming at the sight as he chased after his son's racial assaulters

Finding himself incapable of knowing where much of anything is thanks to his blindness, he was left alone as he decided to lay down to take in the scenery with his ears that twitched with any sounds that came in the direction. His eyes now sported a darkened trout grey color that had a snow white cataract fogged pupil, all with a small white ring surrounding it as his brown eyes of all things were still there; that was something he didn't lose as thought some dust covered the both of them, he had to be happy that he still had them as this won't last long enough. He just had to trust his ears which as soon as his left one twitched and perked when he heard the sound of birds that flew, as he could feel from the wind: north, he picked up the jawbone like knife that was in front of him as before he was blinded he never left the spot he was in. He took off in the direction of the flapping wings he heard which would lead him to the meeting with someone he will bond with more happier

Wading through the tall grass around him like a drunk animal who ate too many marulas that were ripe for picking, causing some shaking in the bushes as well as scaring a few birds away that were startled; he had a knife on him but no vision to see what the hell he's doing, it's all ears that can guide him now. He just let out a horse like sputter when he came to stop, he's a hyena whose lost more than his eyes; he's lost altogether and perhaps he'll lose his mind for that matter. Letting out a louder horse like sputter with a more vocal rasberry, he just went forward through the tall grass; unknown to him he had the attention of an nearby flock which led to his discovery. It had patches of dirt in the grass and tall grass borders around with dead tree branches that some of them perched on, all of them were interrupted from their meal at this time when the sounds of a horse was heard. Ono flew down to the ground in order to take a snail he was tracking when he heard it, though he had his meal first before perking up

Ono was a narrowly built great egret whose spider to midnight black legs were tiger striped with salamander to apricot orange colors which led to a pair of talons that were tipped with black on each claw. A compact upperbody with snow to pearl white feathers across the main part of his body, having pale honey to carrot orange and daffodil to banana yellow feathers that reached both ends of his wings which also formed a band around his neck. His beak was a fire and tiger orange that had a faint forward pointing arrow that was a sunrise and candlelight orange on the top though like it was mentioned before it's faint and not often seen. There were lavender and lilac rings around his eyes while his eyelids on the other hand were a more bluish amethyst color to be clear. Atop his head happened to be a crest of five differentiating lengths of feathers which started off with a light lemon yellow at the base, transitioning to an slight dark tangerine orange color near the tips. He was alert, often in the sky seeking out specific targets and never hesitates to take flight and seek out animals in need of help; rarely questioning his leader and cares deeply about his friends. His distaste for violence will not be used against him as he is a fierce fighter, bravely taking down adversaries as he usually aids his fellow animals through scouting out the ones in need as well as warning others of incoming enemies. He doesn't need to here more than his name to take flight and scout something ahead, his mark was found on the back of his left wing. Finally, he followed the same suite as no matter the enemy; the Guard helps all animals down to the unlikeliest in the serengeti as his encounter with Jeyluxhal is no different

"You just heard a horse?" Ono asked a few of them

"Just when you flew on down here, yeah we all have" A response followed by many as he looked to the direction where it came from

"Looks Iike you can stab a beak in me, I've eaten all I can to last for a few more hours before we know what to expect that time" Ono flew off to scout out for the source of that one animal, but he suspects that there is more to the signal than what he knows about

Gliding just above from where he flew to his flock for that snail on the ground, he spotted the haphazardly and stumbling hyena who was drunkenly goofing about from the earth; he had an kind of jawbone knife on his back that was sharpened and from what he sees, he's wandering through aimlessly like an child. Looking closer he saw his scars as well as those tattoos on both of his shoulders, it seemed to be a imitation based off the Mark of the Guard like his and to be even more elusive it was in the same color albeit it's a darker tone but nonetheless the same. It was those scars that gave him the most attention because he saw a hyena like him and- oh my god, that is him; he's one of the same because there's no mistaking it. What brought him back here all of a sudden? Time to find out as he decided to land in front of him when he touched on his back, getting an immediate response when his right ear perked and stopped in his tracks

He then laid a wing on his neck which he felt when he placed his paw on where it's laid, feeling the feather of a egret when he sat down and had Ono slide down to the ground; walking to the front of him as he soothed him enough to calm him down, although he might've done so a little too well as he laid down on his side where his underbelly was shown; and his leg was raised a little bit, that tongue action which was flickering about and his fanged that were bared when his mouth was opened. Ironically, this ended up scaring some of the nearby hyraxes and had them scamper away; least they shall have some privacy. Ono shook his head as it seemed he doesn't know his own strength to soothe what appeared to be a vicious predator who gave off a docile nature to him, if only he knew how aroused he was then he wouldn't expect this as it's not an sexual instinct; it's more of a friendlier but lonesome action as he poked his tongue into his eye, making him jump back before cleaning it with his left wing. He was laughing internally about if he actually just did that to him

The hyena's ear perked as he then stood up to look behind which Ono followed his gaze, with a number of painstaking steps that were not audible he waved his wing in front of him; getting no response from him until he raised his talon and placed it atop of his paw which his ear perked and had him curl his neck around his before bringing it closer to his body. Ono realized that he was blind as he could see his eyes, wiping away the grains of sand that was still there on his fur; because he had said nothing to him and Fuli mentioned an name in her daydream fantasies, he decided to break the silence once and for all: "You must be Jeyluxhal, aren't you?" He asked him as he looked up disregarding his blindness for a moment, feeling a tree behind him he took Ono to the other side with an bush on his left as he stood up; nodding while looking around to which he held his face to meet with his eyes

"No introduction is needed from me as I am whom they call Ono, neither is the things I've heard about each of your encounters with them. The weirdest one was when you bit Bunga's nose for bringing in a foster mother, he might've make things worse at times but he's also the one who helps in some of the times we were overwhelmed. Fuli can't stop thinking about your time that you spent with her in your little adventure in the Marsh Forest and I can't help but sympathize with Beshte, none of told Kion about this but he did tell me that you're mute for one and all of that prejudice towards you as if you're no exception. There's a little thing that Kion found out from Jasiri once when he was lost in the Outlands and had to regroup with us at Flat Ridge Rock" Ono explained as Jeyluxhal sat down a little bit, he looked like he was smiling when he heard the name Jasiri; having that same love expression that was burning up

"Whichever clan you came from might've been greedy as with Janja's as he eats more than his share, she said that most of them respect the Circle of Life; clean-up crews she calls them as the others take what's left behind from sloppy eaters. You best be glad some are like toddlers who take one bite of that and drop it on the floor, dirty yes but what difference does it make? Take a donut for example as it can be any flavor except glazed because it's a pain to lick off completely, no one's gonna take a bite of one then get all slippery fingered and drop it on the floor; that's what all the other animals would do and then here comes your kind to take what they can't have because they're bellies are full, when they haven't even ate most of the thing. Oh... man, that is exactly what a toddler would do and if you don't having germs; cut the piece that was chewed off because it ain't spreadin' nowhere except that one part" Ono started to laugh when he tried to make a example of what Jasiri told Kion when they first met and learned about each other

Jeyluxhal's facial expression informed him that he has no use for the Circle of Life philosophy nor have the rationalities of what culture they believe in, he shuts them out of his life so he can be focused on the one thing that he wants for his mother; retribution as Baridi can't keep his inner betrayal of his father to the clan he left for dead and caused this to him, he made him into the hyena that he is today. He doesn't need a number of animals who stand at his side, just those he feels comfortable with to know that he can share his tale of how he was robbed of a mother in his childhood. He is not like Simba who acts like he is doing the work of his father, he himself is helping Tabari with bringing a end to the lion of the Outlands who wronged him all because he left everyone of the clan he was never apart of them behind to be with his mate. Ono read it all through his mind that he was telling him but felt like something else he wanted to share with him

"Jeyluxhal, buddy if I can really call you that... this is all poisoning you from the inside. That act of retribution you call it for whoever you lost sounds more like an assassination attempt out of revenge. But I digress becuase you must be better than him, he has't shown himself for a long time from what I'm seeing; and I know I'm not your father-" Jeyluxhal placed a paw on his beak not out of maliciousness but out of assurance as his facial expression told him that there is no reason to pretend that he is, taking him close as he sat up while his paws were wrapped around his stomach. "Hold on, what you doin' now?" He asked him but got startled the same way that he saw Kion and Bunga's Baob Ball session incoming towards his flock when he put his snout on his back

His upper lips fluttered back and forth across his back as there were only sounds of him rubbing and sweeping his medium in between dense lips across the left to right, the sound of skin that made contact with another and the continuous sounds of barbed fur although pricking grooming underneath his white feathers. Skin flapping against itself was added to the mix but to Ono he didn't seem to mind even when his upper lips started fluttering upward where his fangs were, because he didn't use them to bite him; nibble the side of his head as if he had ears but not bite him. Not even his caressing on the sides of his neck down to his back was entirely painful, but he did feel like he was being taken care of from a cheetah thanks to his tongue. Peeling back skin of prey that was killed, combing fur like how Najira used to for her son and remove debris that was in the food but when it was on someone else then to claim them as theirs like how Jeyluxhal is doing. He did however nudge his snout around where his underside was, but moved to sniffing all over him excessively like a hyperactive dog

After awhile he moved on to lip smacking like a horse where his mouth drooped downward, the sound of hooves clopping on the ground was made from this as Ono didn't mind; he's fine with this. He knew a horse resorted to this if one was bored and wanted to be let out of the stable for a nice run in the fields, but to think a hyena would adopt habits like this; he guessed that it was more puppy behavior and he's starting to have different thoughts on him. He's really showing a teddybear side of him that no one allowed him to show when they're all pinning the blame on him for being unlikable like the rest of his kind, disregarding the fact that it's them whose not letting him show what he is behind the reputation of his species; as Ono would call them out for that later on, they are in no position to judge him based of the background. He then leaned to his ear to ask him: "You feelin' hungry? I'll can wait at a nearby watering hole while you hunt" Ono asked as Jeyluxhal looked down on his drooping primordial pouch, swaying with motion as he poked his snout in his eye to lick him. "Let's get going, I'll tell you where an animal is near the hole just so you'll know where to look with your ears; I would make a song out of this to sing but this isn't a 3rd Grade musical now is it? Just so you know that's how I would sound like to you, but that's not the point; just common knowledge, really" The egret hovered to the top of his neck in order to direct him to the watering hole

Using the sound of wing flapping to make him go in the direction of the watering hole, this was a process that took some time before the two of them arrived; with Ono looking around to find a suitable cantidate. Telling him that he'll be back, he took off into the air to search for an reliable food source as he's not a social lad so he's not going to be interacting with the contenders here; with his keen eyes set on a zebra near an cantaloupe stalk that was conveniently growing near it which made the perfect way to fill his stomach. He returned to Jeyluxhal's neck as he leaned to his ear. "Hope you like having an zebra, I tell you where to find him" Ono told him as Jeyluxhal's tail began wagging but before that, a sound disturbed him as his ear twitched and perked before he slashed behind him; turning out that it was the throat of a Lion of the Pride Lands who held his throat with his paw and collapsed from from his jawbone knife

"Shouldn't have startled him like that, still I can't help but pity you; just don't seek revenge on this hyena" Ono gave the fallen lion his condolences as he moved on

Ono took off to scatter the zebra to his direction which made his ear twitch and perk, having him cut deep into the zebra's hind legs which made him fell; the impact having his ear twitch again to make him jump onto it's back and when it tried to crawl to escape it's wounds, it let out a very pained grunt which would prove to be the last mistake he makes. His ear twitched and perked one last time as he jumped into the air to slam the makeshift kanabo club down onto it's skull as the zebra now bled out. "Hheeuuhhh... excuse me, where did you hide that? I guess it doesn't matter now that we can get that primordial pouch filled, as if it's jello like enough... if you don't mind me I'll grab a cantaloupe so we can get those vitamins in you. But I'm not forcing you to eat something you don't like, you are in control of your own stomach so you can choose your path" Ono at first questioned where he got the kanabo from but relented as he took a cantaloupe to move on, ensuring him that he's not going force things he doesn't like down his throat; it's him who controls his destiny and his choice of what he hunts

With his claws he started peeling back the skin of the cantaloupe until it's juicy flesh is exposed for him to squeeze into a coconut bowl ready to be drunk from, with the lion from earlier it looks like he can eat in peace as he went behind the tree out of sight from the others. Jeyluxhal began as Ono took this time to look at this scars more closely, photographic memory never lies to the keenest of sight nor to the exclusive role of the smartest in the Lion Guard; in fact he observed him while he ate a little more so he can soak up the details. To his dark red mane exposed from the sunlight in the sky he decided to feel it, rubbing his head against it before letting it fall from the spaces of his wings. "How beautiful..." His fur was comparable to Fuli's as though he was a hyena, he's a even match as though hers was just a slim bit more; Jeyluxhal didn't seem to pay a mind to whoever is touching him. He was too focused on his food to know and Ono felt him, it was like as if he submerged himself in the pool of Jamaican Doctor Fishes whose risk of infections was filtered out to make his fur feel so soft. At least they can touch him without being told that he's not big on being touched, nevertheless Fuli is more than a very good friend of theirs

He couldn't finish up drinking when the coconut bowl was smacked out from his snout as it hits the ground a couple of times, finding yet another group of animals who have a bitch to pick with Jeyluxhal when he wants nothing to be involved in with their affairs. Musk deer who came all the way from Stone Forest to complain about his presence here, civets who were prayed upon the Komodos, shrews who lived marsh areas, cape buffaloes and the same gorilla who survived his injuries but will he be able to again? Maybe this time Jeyluxhal will kill him, or is that what he wants? All of them scowled at seeing Jeyluxhal whose eyes were covered with his bangs so this batch of derogatory animals could not see his condition, he however looked like he's in another world of his mind; but none of them wanted to deal with this so the gorilla headbutted him as though he still stood, he placed his paws on his nose all with an bark of pain. Ono landed atop of his neck to confront them: "You've got something against him eating here? It's a free region for everyone"

"He killed a lion who was about to tell him nicely to leave because Simba doesn't like his kind in here, it's the law of the Pride Lands" He argued but Ono crossed his wings

"Sometimes you've just got to break your own laws and that was because Scar made it living hell for BOTH of them" Ono looked down on Jeyluxhal as he took that lesson about having to break your own laws if he should ever become a second in command to a hyena clan. This batch did not show a care in the world. "You however are shunning him among others who disrespect the animals who deserve scorn and the Circle that you're trying to break, Rafiki told me that even if there was one like him who wanted no part in making the kings all sore in their necks; he would not go far as to shun him out of Africa!"

"I don't give a damn what that garbage filled mandrill nor Mufasa the weak and spineless said! Do you get me?" The gorilla yelled at him

"You are going to take back for the disrespect you've shown to him, our shaman and our fallen king or Simba will have you exiled to the Outlands" Ono warned him as another animal spat it in his face

"How about: you take him to the Outlands instead and tell him to stay there like a good puppy, hmm?" The shrew asked him as the egret pecked him instead. "Ow!"

"I suggest you reconsider your treatment of my son... NOW!" Jeyluxhal's ear twitched, perking when he heard the voice of his father call them out and yell when the animals tried to fight with him. Tabari came out from behind the tree

"Then I suggest you reconsider having a son who doesn't belong to you not roam on territories of other animals, whose the one being disrespectful now?" The musk deer told him

"Jeyluxhal is blind because of you throwing rocks at him, and I have met Mufasa once in person; when he came to the Backlands in need of something I would rather not specify. He has forever been forgiving to my presence here than Zira, she will be a less kind animal than I myself; do as what the keenest of sight orders and leave or follow your fate to the Outlands" Tabari stood in front of his son

"Prove it that he's blind because I'll know he's lying" The civet demanded

"If it is proof you are asking for, then open your eyes to look what is behind what we appear to be but are not written and set in stone!" Tabari moved his son's bangs to reveal his eyes as he waved in front of him, Ono perched atop of an branch as his response was a twitch and perk of his right ear to look up where he is

"Hey little 'ol Jeybie if you can see where I am that is, here's some words I'm going to spell out in front of you: stop faking it because we know that you're trying to exploit our sympathy towards the disabled and you are NOT one of those animals who deserved to be loved like a hero, can you see me now; hmmm?" The cape buffalo leaned in to hear him respond, swiping his claws on his neck as he jumped back while softly sidestepping away when he leaped to his position. "I'm right here..." Taking advantage of his blindness he had him skid his chest when he tried to lunge at him, resulting in some abrasions. "No not there you poor old baby Jeybie suckin' on Tabari's flimsy chewable ear, here!" Jeyluxhal refused until one of the bullies threw a stone to direct him over to his position, having him charge but instead hitting his skull against the tree; wanting to headbutt him. "Wrong! I'm over here now"

"You paying attention? STOP!" The cape buffalo turned to face Tabari who came in too quick and was headbutted hard in the head where he fell down afterwards, getting spat on. "That's enough of picking some shit to throw on my son, I'm gonna be telling your mommas 'bout what you done!"

"Better not because we'll go after you, your wife and your son for this; we're heroes for treating your kind like pariahs and a hyena has no right to live!" The musk deer stated firmly

"You shouldn't have brought Najira into this!" Tabari's vocals were shredded with bloodlust in his voice as he pinned down the musk deer and let out a throat rumbling snarl and bark in his face. "Still interested in being neo-nazis towards us hyenas? We are here and those lions are not, and WE'RE WORSE THAN THEM!" Tabari spoke in a growlish voice as saliva dripped down on his face

"No, no! We'll stop treating him like shit just don't tell our parents or kill us!" The musk deer cowered as the others were in fear

"Kill you? I am more than a snarling beast to my enemies and a father whose I love more than what the Pride Lands offers us to take for ourselves so that we can live another day, I will not live like a scavenger and I will not die like a monster just as Scar had done when he shifted the blame onto mademoiselle Shenzi's Clan. Get out of my sight, I do not want to see you roaming here should we come here to feast; and your parents will be informed and exiled like the prince who has now become our king" Tabari viciously and coldly told them as Jeyluxhal closed his eyes in irritation as if something was in his eyes, his blurred vision was starting to fade out

"But I don't want to be exiled" Some of the animals complained

"Oh, I'm telling them" Tabari turned his back

"Hapana! There's Pride Rock in the distance" Ono spanned his wing out to where the monument was

"If you tell them..."

"I'm walking towards Pride Rock now!" Tabari continued

"Nooo!"

"We're getting closer to Pride Rock now..." Ono helped him out

"NO-ohohohoooo!"

"Thanks for watching and now, our featured presentation!" Tabari narrated

"I'm begging you!"

"Send them the message they'd like to hear" Tabari told him

"Affirmative!" Ono took off and flew out to Pride Rock as the gorilla finally lashed out against him

"YOU FILTHY NORTHERN KENYAN DOG!" The gorilla roared just as Jeyluxhal can see clear again as he witnessed the gorilla running over to his father who stood there with one of the angriest of all scowls like he showed when he was in the presence of Scar

Jeyluxhal's ear twitched and perked when one of them lunged at his back to use as leverage to his father, instead he spun to punch them in the face while taking it by the legs and spinning in a revolving circle around himself; throwing him to the gorilla where Tabari headbutted it's chest and landed a punch to his gut, following it up with a uppercut and ending it by throwing it's head towards the ground hard with his son who rushed over to his side. Tabari threw him down and Jeyluxhal landed a direct upward kick to the face to send him flying back towards the tree, using his speed to make it there before him and elbowing the back of his neck as the impact severely knocked him out cold. Bleeding on the ground as the gorilla looked up to find the two of them standing as they both pointed their paws towards him. "Whose the filthiest Kenyan now? Here's the answer: just you alone, bitch..." The two of them then stomped hard on his head as though he was still alive, the sounds of bones crushing did little to ensure that he's dead for real

Jeyluxhal curled his neck around his father as he could never be without as he can't see him no thanks to Kukuza's overbearing the two of them, he won't rest with her around and for that he's been camping in the Pride Lands for awhile but now he decided that it's time for him to sleep at Kuplinka's den as he can't rest with her irritating him through mother and son bonding. As soon as Ono returned he walked with father back to the nest where he lived and decided to bid his egret friend a farewell

"It's nice to see that you've got your vision back, the discrimination can end but your battle for retribution is just beginning. I won't let Kion find out about you just as the others promised you, I believe there's a hero in the unlikeliest of all animals who show the same traits as you do; don't ever change to impress us. Just remember, Baridi will show his face soon and when he does; do what you've been wanting to do since the beginning: end the pain he started, even if it's means you have to fight to the death" Ono told him as he respected his motives for retribution

Jeyluxhal curled his neck around Ono's as he took him in closely, licking his backplate before he left with his father back to the Pride Lands. He watched on before hovering to his nest to rest a little, he'll return back to the Lair of the Lion Guard soon and for now he's had quite a day; thank god there's no egg in his nest because otherwise he'll be in for an adventure against an harrier hawk who's looking to have something new like a hyrax. Yeah... and the egg belongs to a mother who was a hamperkop, he can see it happening now. Though there was one more thing that he has to say about Jeyluxhal

"Where do all these hyenas come from...?" Ono looked around as he got settled in a more comfortable state and position of his nest, sweeping off the last of debris on himself so that he's not dirty and making sure he's as spotless as he is punctual

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

Returning to the Lair of the Lion Guard, Kion silently entered to find them occupied with what's been happening these past few weeks. Bunga checked his nose to see if it was sensitive as he's not going to let it bleed again, Fuli was on her stomach daydreaming about her time with who else but Jeyluxhal? Beshte was looking down into the water and Ono was taking his time using some new attacks in case animals who want to disrupt the balance in the Circle of Life, it looks like everything is as it was before. He decided to approach Fuli as he seemed interested at this point about what went on with her when she decided to go for the prize

Kion was as similar as he was to Mufasa in many aspects as he had light golden brown fur with a paler shade for his paws, underbelly and muzzle; scruffier on his upper cheeks and the base of his chest. His tuft of guardsmen red colored mane was swept backwards as he had brighter red stripes with a bushy tip on his tail that's the same as his tuft, his eyes were a clay orange color with thick dark eyebrows above them. His nose was a dark caramel and gingerbread brown and had black whiskers with three on each side, the same color was on the rims along the side of his light apple red and peanut brown inner ears with black rims along the top. His defining trait was the Mark of the Guard imprinted in a tiger orange and candy red color on his left shoulder, and his paw pads were a dull brick pinkish tortilla brown color while his claws were a silvery pearl white color. No introduction is needed for his personality as we'll leave like that, though he has some issues in trying to make his father proud so we'll give him that. Finally, he was the fiercest of the Guard and the leader that made up the defenders of the Pride Lands

He walked around her and found a comfortable spot to lay in the lair spaced out in between an gap from his cheetah friend, letting out an audible but soft yawn as he breathed out; Fuli found him next to her once she was finished with daydreaming. "You've been thinking a lot back then to when the water buffalo came from the eastern borders, what's happened back there that you're so interested about?"

"Just had a dream when it was too dark to go on or stay up any longer and in it I was someone else, it took place in the exact same forest but not in the way you'd think it turned out; there was no telling exactly where in the forest I was but it was dark and cloudy with just a few lots of specks that poured out sunlight on me. Thunder was there but no rain as I could care less if I got wet, I wasn't even a cheetah; I was something else but I can't tell who I am, there was no knowing since I never met an animal like this before. Scratch that, I was a gazelle but there is one thing I still had that this dream can't take from me: my speed so there's that. My hooves were dipped in black, I had mane that was slicked down like a mullet with bangs on the sides that looked like I was constantly wet; cobra fangs for earrings and... I had this urge not to talk because I had nothing nice to say about anyone I saw. Topping it all off was that while I was a girl or at least still am one in the heart, I had more boy traits than girl ones; guess the dream doesn't know the meaning of tomboy well" Fuli lied to protect the identity of the hyena who led her out of the Marsh Forest

"Is there more to tell about this dream?" Kion asked

"There's one more thing to tell, yeah: something happened to me when I was finding my way out of the Marsh Forest as this was the path that led out, I had a couple of miles to go when I looked up to hear two voices. One was a grave baritone voice who looked like he should be named Ivan Moody and the other was a Jamaican teen who didn't use patois to make himself sound more understandable. Both singing which controlled the sky around me burning away like a piece of paper that the Egyptians invented from their ancient pressworks in their cities, sometimes it would be like a burning orange or a cold blue color; sometimes a burning wall of fire while the lightning flashes and random structures or animals to trees and black roses came or unfolded before my eyes. I looked on ahead to find a sunset and it was moving in a strange pattern, suddenly I was picked up from the paws of a hyena who had radiant glowing tattoos he applied to himself and even his scars were glowing; when I found the intensifying light around me faded, I was back home as my surroundings came together like a puzzle. That was all I can tell" Fuli finished explaining her dream but Kion wasn't fooled, in fact he looked like he was suspecting her of lying

"Are you covering for someone? You don't have to keep things to yourself" The leader of the Guard wanted to know because that clearly isn't something that she would tell him so easily

"She is because I know of one other scarred hyena and that's the one who bit my nose, all because I told him a joke about the scars on his spots. His father won't tell me his name and I left before Kukuza scolded him, he doesn't want a foster mother or follow my two uncle's idea of living without worries in the world. I just wanted to give him a motherly figure so he can be happy" Bunga stepped in to tell his best friend

"That's no reason to hurt someone who's trying to be nice to him, and I really don't want to bring Jasiri into this argument because she's a good friend of ours but did she just tell all of you that her new friend she made isn't talkative much; as in he never speaks once? How is it that he's mean to him but nice to Fuli? And Bunga that might've been too insensitive for him to laugh at" Kion was lost on what was going on because of their promise to Jeyluxhal that they wouldn't tell their leader

"It's because I helped him get Edeni and Imani off his back from grooming him to death, when we met again a few weeks later he just carried me from the start to the end of the forest. I wanted to know why he's looking all so distant and unresponsive all the time so I used a trick that Rafiki taught me to look into his dreams and I saw what happened... from there on out I wouldn't leave him. I had burnout at the time from chasing that water buffalo and fell of the cliff onto a branch, gave up when I decided to fall into the water below me and that's when he spied on me drying off in the sun" Fuli explained the full details of her time getting back home as Kion didn't look satisfied, just disappointed

"Is it that hard to tell the truth to me? I'm not my father you know" Kion asked her

"It's because I made a promise to him that I wouldn't tell, Beshte and Ono too; they just want to help him but refused to talk to the former and had an run in with some-" Fuli revealed her reason why she didn't tell him until Ono took over

"I'll take it from here: his father told him everything, he was blind because some radical anti-hyena neo nazis threw some rocks at him that had the sand get into his eyes. I guided him to the watering hole and we ended up in a fight about disrespecting a hyena who wants nothing to do with the fact that they were part of Scar's rule, he told me everything on our way back to my nest. They're not going to bother him anymore... not when they've been warned by us, the next time it happens they're going to the Outlands" Ono explained as Kion laid on his back and breathed one out

"Anything else you want to know from us?" Fuli asked him

"He tell any of you his name?" Kion sounded calm but felt like he was not amused at the fact that his friends were keeping secrets from him, he knew they had their own and respected that; but this was something different as if they don't trust him because of his father being the king over all of the Pride Lands

"He uses facial expressions as his way of language to communicate with us, a pronunciation is also written so you don't botch or butcher it underneath; just so you know" Ono informed him of how he bypasses his speech disorder

"He told me his name before at the end when we exited the Marsh Forest" Fuli told him as she looked back at the time when the two of them bid their farewells

"Tell me everything from the beginning because I want to know his name and each of your encounters with him, the Pride Lands have been quiet for sometime now so take the time you need to tell me. I won't tell Dad about this hyena whose a friend of Jasiri's, none of us will for that matter" Kion sat up as he was ready to hear

Jeyluxhal may not be willing to show a sign of trust in them with a promise that was doomed to be broken by those who he felt comfortable with, but it was a sacrifice they're not willing to make out of having Kion find out but it was out of his father Simba finding out that there's a forbidden friendship between the Lion Guard and the hyenas. Kion began to hear what the Lion Guard has to tell him from the beginning as it starts with when Bunga's idea for a foster mother backfired...


	7. The Beast Within

(A/N: The beginning fight was based off Genndy Tartakovsky's fight scenes from Samurai Jack while the scenes involving Jasiri, Madoa and Kukuza whom I'm writing out of the story had an few parts adapted from the iCarly episode iFind Lewbert's Lost Love who is anything but love. The psychological meltdown later in the story was taken from Ang Lee's Hulk from 2003, there was some elements that I thought would work out for our protagonist about his trauma that's been repressed for some time. The next chapter as you guess contains a special song from an band that I cannot for the life of shit's sake figure out why they hate them so much, but it is a good song though and I've listened to it more than a couple of times. I've changed the idea of Kukuza's appearance to being Najira's appearance minus the details and motherly nature that made her superior over her, instead she painted herself to look like her and her true colors of course are now revealed. She's not all that bad but Jeyluxhal is in no mood to be anywhere or even in the same area as her, because the causes and effects is revealed; when I say that he's marking the territory, I don't mean that he's being like Hal Emmerich who wets his pants; he's smart enough not to wear them until he's finished. Lastly, we have a special guest from some other Disney franchise and though I really wanted to use a classic one as I feel that he's got an good chemistry with according to me; I'll just use a modern one from an show for this chapter since you gotta love references here, oh and just forget about what I said before mentioning the featured guest because he's not a Emmerich who wets himself. Enjoy)

Jeyluxhal was not one to be ravenous but in times of suppressing the inner demons he lusted for a lion as the insects that he wanted to try based on what Timon and Pumbaa eat has done little to sate his hunger, the ribcages of buffaloes kept him from experiencing a migraine and the goats he devoured were keeping up his strength a little. Kukuza was still there as she was longing to spend some time with her foster son who wanted nothing to do with her presence here, he goes as far as to pretend that she doesn't exist as he either breaks down in rage or at the worst case he becomes unstable. He went on to stay at Kuplinka's den to stay away from a beast like her, which led to a meeting between the two friends; he came over and seeing him standing there with no sign in his expression that he's going to run away again, he breathed a short breath out in relief as he curled his neck around his. "Your father told us about what had happened that night, he's at the brinking edge of being through with Kukuza; she's not whom she claims to be. How could the bravest of the Lion Guard introduce her to-" Jeyluxhal placed a paw on his mouth with an expression that told him that he knows, it's good to see him again as he returned his feelings; he'll take care of her soon but for now she hasn't seen him as the two of them have been meeting in secret to continue his training

Back in the present time he was driven under his ravenous lust for a lion as he looked for one to give him a challenge, finding a huge and powerful brute that matched the stature of one of the greatest kings who've lived before his fall at the wildebeest gorge; but he's nowhere to a split meter close to him as he carried his stature but not his personality. He was the perfect of all choices he had and so he sharpened his heavy hitting weapon made of medium sticks with hardened stones, elephant tusks that were lashed tightly and barbed with thorns; rocks that's jagged to the point and claws that stuck out along with bone spikes. Holding it with his mouth and heaving steadily, he made his move to slowly approach with light treading to his position for his lust to feast upon a lion will not be denied. Just then the lion turned around to slash at his face across as marks of blood appeared, he was waiting for the foolish hyena to attack him when pretended not to notice him. Jeyluxhal was not impressed as he held his kanabo above him, ready to swing his heavy hitting bat to strike and the lion unsheathed his claws fully as it was now a duel between the two primal predators

He came running in first on the offensive to swing his kanabo to strike at the lion's head with it dodging the first two swings, landing a few clawmarks on his skin to hit him as blood spurts came spiraling out onto the ground they fought on; using his father's training to stand against this opponent. He went paw to paw with the lion as he raised his claws to swipe him but was struck in the abdomen as his downward swipe missed, sweeping upward as he cut his throat lightly but got struck in the left forearm which caused him great pain when he yelled. Hyenas like him who wielded a weapon was something new but nothing that he couldn't beat, a fool relies on a tool while the primal ones use the tools that they were given. Jeyluxhal jumped a mile back to avoid the right claw swipe as he blocked his headbutt by holding his weapon in front of himself sideways, bashing him in the skull to swing his kanabo against the side of his head three times before landing a downward helm smash on the top. The lion retaliated with a forward lunge that was countered with a upward swing that struck him in the jaw, that sent him falling to the floor on the left where he kicked him in the leg and took him at the throat

Falling over he launched the lion off with a kick to send him behind where he stood back up, spinning with his kanabo to smash against the lion's right face before lunging forward to slam it on him again; but was countered with a swipe to the guts and punch to the jaw. This lion as he didn't have a name for himself took the kanabo club from his paws before kicking him off, using it against him as he came in to bash him. Jeyluxhal countered with his arms by smacking each strike off away from him while lunging to bite deeply into it's neck; making him drop the weapon that he took back and struck him hard in the chest. He leapt onto his back to stab and inflict great and painful wounds that had him roar in fury, shaking him off before he launched him off to send him flying against the tree that shook on impact. He would not be defeated as the two stood viciously, that was when the lion came in with an attack that he's not prepared for; a lightning fast pace that him strike all at once with a flurry of swipes as he fell back with a moment of struggling to block each one from his effort, scoring many slashes and cuts on a few parts of his body as he lost balance. He bit him at the leg and took him up in the tree for his deadly finisher, blocking the stab into his collarbone as he swung to the branch and used his kanabo to smack the lion down with him; landing on both hind paws

Another assault by him came as he was on the defense, he swung his kanabo in turn to keep him at bay but found himself swinging left and right at nothing as the lion was wise to stay a mile back from him; he was getting more and more exhausted as he knew, his weapon then weighted down his arms as he was heaving with his vocals giving off a growl from behind his barred fangs. Knowing that there was a position he knew of nearby, he made a fast dash with his pursuer keeping close by; the two of them scowling at each other driven under the primal instinct and it was him who was in control of the environment all around him. Knew the area where he can fight this lion without him gaining the upper hand, he was leading him into an trap where there was no escape from. Arriving at the falls he stood at the end of the cliff and kept a unbreakable scowl on his face, the lion was led to believe he had the advantage and it came to that he unwittingly backed himself into a dead end. He made his stand as he looked down and stabbed his kanabo to the bark of the tree nearby, it seemed he was giving victory over him to the lion and wondered if this meant he could take him as his meal

To the lion's disappointment Jeyluxhal had his paws clenched into fists as he stood on both of his hind legs though he was still hunched over, resorting to unarmed combat as fists were at the ready just as his opponent got into a more offensive stance. As there was risk of falling off Jeyluxhal lunged forward into the air and deeply clawed into the lion's face, blinding and taking his eyesight before the lion stabbed his claws into him; increasing the pain to kill him but preforming an headbutt to stun the wildcat and throwing him off before uppercutting in the jaw to send him backwards. He slammed him against the tree and blocked the blind claw swipes before ramming into his upperchest, a upperclaw followed next before being struck with multi-colored flashes that came when his eyes closed. He shoulder rammed him and in the instance blocked a backpaw to the floor as he instead bit the back of his neck to draw an quart of blood from him

Being thrown off to the tree but bouncing back to absorb the impact, he waited for him to get closer as he raised his claw to scratch him; but jumped into the air once his ear twitched some bit and perked to avoid being hit. Instead he landed a nasty kick to the jaw to break it, with an voluminous spit of blood as the sounds of bones cracking shattered the silence; he struck him blindly with a flurry of countless swipes three times but was kneed in the lower abdomen to inflict longer pain with a expression that told him to recover from that. He moved backwards to wait for another opportunity as the lion struggled to his hind paws, but recovered and ran just as Jeyluxhal balled his hand into a fist; stalking the bird like he was on his hunts before he lashed out and struck it down with merciless ease in his hunger. The lion rushed recklessly due to his blindness and once his ear twitched before perking to signify him that he was close as experienced from his own temporary blindness, he threw his paw forward as the punch to the side of his skull cracked the bone while his neck twisted; the sudden jarring twisted flesh on his neck tore with a spray of blood but he scratched the back of his neck in return when he fell. He was getting closer to death the more he fought but Jeyluxhal was more ravenous that he is, this is what Tabari felt back then when he hunted down a lion

The lion leapt onto his stomach to whom he threw off behind him to lunge in with his claws unsheathed, swiping against his right arm and another to his left hind leg to mirror his duel with Scar when he assaulted his queen Zira. Countering the third one through smacking the back of his paw to the side, he took him by the snout where his face was and smashed it with a sharp and jagged rock like a knife multiple times before smashing it one last time where it's strain from being smashed took on the full blunt strike and broke into pebbles to breathe an little more freely. Though that didn't mean he was able to take on anymore of this. He kicked the hyena away from him and took him by the back, jumping to knee him in the snout but in return was taken by the mane and smashed harder in the snout with a repeated knee strike to the snout more than once. Sending him to the nearest tree where Jeyluxhal ran and leapt to preform a flying kick to send him slamming harder against the bark of the tree where the kanabo was unlodged, but the lion got to the weapon first and blindly swung it against the hynea who built it. It was almost as if the two were evenly matched like he was to Scar but this time he will not take the loss again as he will have this lion down

Taking the kanabo to the shoulder as he growled under his breath, he disarmed the lion and glided his claws across his fur deeply upon punching him directly in the snout and the gut to reveal his skin underneath; launching him off and lunging forth to land a series of strikes that were as blunt as the bat itself. Mauling him to death before shoving some pebbles down it's throat. The lion was distracted in spitting them out while he gathered up the distance behind him, running and jumping forth to lunge after him with his fangs bared and claws extended outward to tackle him down to the floor, spraying medium droplets of blood when he dug his fangs into his skin and pounced on him further to hack up a bleeding blob of mucus that came from his throat; the lion spat in his eye but Jeyluxhal took him by the throat and pinned him where he left some of his own wounds on his upperchest. He was struggling to breathe under his strength but sought to break himself free of his crushing grip that was strangling him, with a push of his hind legs into his body and kicking to take him off; the hyena increased pressure on his throat. He built up the strength to launch him off with one kick to the abdomen, it was one that sent him to the floor on the right side

His opponent still stood brave but foolish to think he could take him on as he elbowed him in the snout and swept him off the ground, that was not enough for Jeyluxhal to dodge what the lion had in store for him and take him back to the tree where he showed off just what an hyena like him was capable of when it came down to fighting to the death with a lion. With a clutching of his throat and a forward chokeslam to the ground, he took him on his back with a heave as he stood on both hind paws; getting easier for him to do so thanks to having a more stable balance for himself as it was like learning how to walk after being wheelchair bound a few months from that awful asphalt burn. He slammed the lion to the ground before doing it again towards the wall with his torso in his paws, ending with a throw near the river. Silence followed between the two as nothing else happened for awhile, just breathing and heaving. As soon as that was done with he took him by the head and threw his paw off, headbutting the lion in the skull; he was no longer fighting his opponent but rather imagining that this is Scar that he was taking on. All throughout the fight the two lost blood because of though he was close to being a match for him, the lion was inferior to Jeyluxhal as he might've caught him off guard to throw him backwards; the hyena came leaping back onto his stomach

Kicking him to the floor where he started to pound on him heavily multiple times, even as he held his throat to choke him; he was defeated as he launched him off to a hard impact on the ground where he threw up some blood and letting out an painfully harsh roar that sounded like his vocal cords were being twisted tightly, the webbing within setting ablaze and the elasticity being strained to the maximum where it started to be ripped apart all in a short matter of time. He let out a even more painful and louder roar of defiance against him. His skin drenched in sweat with cuts everywhere and blood leaking from his mouth, he was breathing unsteadily and with the hyena before him being victorious; the two stared off to one another before Jeyluxhal noticed that his family was watching as this lion had a mate with a litter of cubs, all of them afraid while this one's mate showed a protective side to her family. The lion on the other hand stood off as he took a step back with his paw, the pads making contact with the ground as the sound of sandy dirt shifting which made both his ear twitch and perk. That was when his expression told him and his family that there was no escape from him, leaping into the air to slaughter theme all as neither adult nor cub lived from his hunger; he will not be hunted down under their paws for revenge against their father's death. The lion lied dead in his tracks as his minimum weak breaths were cut off vocally from it's mouth and a hoarse tone to the air that took his lungs were silenced, his eyes closed forever as Jeyluxhal had done what he came here for; now it was time for him to sate his hunger at long last

As the hyena feasted on the fallen lion he emerged victorious over, he was overcome with a number of feelings that he tried to suppress as mentioned before; it backfired for there were grave side effects from this stress he buckled under. Kukuza was beginning to affect him too much because though it was hidden under makeup that was applied, he suffered blisters on his face that were burning him and gotten worse when they gave him a rash that he couldn't stop scratching. These face blisters looked like effects of eczema herpeticum which was rare but this was not that virus, it just looked like the small and very even punched out blisters of sorts; the rash on the other hand looked like guttate psoriasis but like before it appeared but did not share the effects of such. That monsteress pretended to be a sweet and kind lady but he and his father know her true self, but does Bunga have any idea what he did? Jasiri wouldn't do this, come to think of it she isn't aware that Kukuza is really a devil who is poisoning him from the inside; his mental health is beginning to become worse at the minute. He needs to see her right now at the Outlands, therefore he finished up his meal and ran off not leaving even the bones behind as he ate them too; his kind would eat anything really so there's no point in saying what he can and cannot have

She was a oppressive, short-tempered woman who was obsessed with his father Tabari since she wanted to mate with him so to not only have children where his relationship means less to him should it happen; but to also be a better mother than Najira has ever been and will be which was enough to demand that she leaves him alone, but she refused to let him go. So he had to decide to spend some time with her and then jump into the rapids of the river before he swam to shore, leaving her to believe he disappeared and proceeded to tell his father she thinks he's dead. To ensure she would never find him he decided to live like a nomad so that he can stay out of her range, while living at Kuplinka's for a few days; oh and she gave him an load of hives for just being around her presence. She was domineering over him, she tried to force a haircut on him once and will do it again if she finds him; because she will never leave him alone. Those thoughts of her were worsened when he arrived in the Outlands to where Jasiri and her sister Madoa lived, come to think of it the last few times he went to see her; he decided to visit but met her sister instead as she was playing with Wemu and Tunu. Hoping to spend some time with her as he lets her do what she has in mind

Not much to describe Madoa's appearance as she had the same fur and bi-colored tail with a duller tone to her markings, both stripes and spots on her back with her face having three of the latter which were small. Brown eyes like his encircled by grey and tufts curved backwards from her head, having spiked down and upward mane on the back of her neck too. She was known to be friendly, caring and at times rather skeptical as she's hesitant to believe that both opposing species that were the lions and hyenas can be friends; something of which that Jeyluxhal has little to no interest in. She's graceful in admitting that she was wrong and enjoys seeing her sister happy, a very nuturing one who places the needs of the younger ones above her own when there's a problem such as Zira's Pride in the Outlands; noting that Wema and Tunu need water the most than she does. She understands her clan's strengths to weaknesses when the rest couldn't fight Janja without her sister's guidence

The relationship between her and Jeyluxhal worked out the same way as her sister, though it was not to the same decree because he's not talkative to either pups; simply giving them the provisions they needed the most and did what she asked. However, Wemu and Tunu were if not are intimidated under his stature; it was mainly because of his scars that are on his body, his cold and dead silence that was very but uncomfortably soft and his facial expressions that he used for communicating with others were kind of hard to understand what he's saying. An few of them were unintentionally goofy and hard to translate without his father close to him. Both were young and shy, sharing the same fear of lions because of Zira's negative influence that enforces it; overall they're very vicacious, effervescent, frolicsome, sportive and playful when interacting with other members of the clan. They look up to both Jasiri and Madoa, the two always felt safe in their presence even inimminent danger that awaits them. Overtime it came down to the two losing their fear of lions where Kion is concerned and is appreciative of a rescue, for now this was when they had yet to meet him and it should be noticed that he looked more like the rapper Drake whenever he gave off one of his rare smirks

Kukuza found both Jasiri and Madoa who were unaware of the misery she brings to Jeyluxhal, which made it the perfect chance to exact her plan on being with him; so she approached the two to ask them if any of them saw him. Not knowing that she is a monstress underneath that kind exterior, Kukuza continued to lie to them with words that his father sent her to find and spend time with her as times have been rough with the loss of his mother; earning their trust as the two led them to where he was playing with Wema and Tunu giving off one of his rare smirks that made him look like Drake, something that Madoa too noted as well. They walked around the wide clearing where he was just behind the narrow crack where they called out to him:

"Hey Jeyluxhal, someone's here for you" Jasiri called out to him

"Jeyluxhal..!" Madoea followed her sister's example

A sound of prolonged snorting like a elephant was heard before another few seconds passed to show him coming out to see who it is, stopping in his tracks as he scrapped his paws as it all looked like he was at a loss of non-existent words for whom he saw before him. Kukuza gave off her expressions that was mocking him but to the two were fooled, she looked like she has not seen her in over a few years. It was the one face that told him how much she missed him, while his continued for a few more seconds before there was finally a response; though none of the two expected that this would happen next and for the sake of the two witnesses this is what his reaction translated to:

"YEAAGGHH HA-HA, NYEHSSS! (Angry) GEEETTT OUUUT!" Jeyluxhal reacted with what sounded like a shriek of happiness followed by two bursts of chuckles, yelling with joy before he had suddenly screamed with a violent outburst demanding that she get out; swinging his arms outward and glowering lower than normal that showed his inner anger. Jasiri and Madoa looked on with shock as he had meltdown, scratching all over his body so he can remove the makeup applied to expose all the blisters and rashes that he developed from being around her. Breaking down into a mental disaster of true agony as he held onto the rock behind him, slipping down to the ground with a slumping thump before he regained his grip. "NEYEGHH! NO! NOOO! No, no. No! No! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOO! GOD- NOOOO! GET OUUT~"

Marked in red with his condition exposed and worse than before as he was steaming with an overdrive of a meltdown, he grabbed an pile of hardened rocks and threw it above in the air; with the three dodging the rain. "NO~ YEAAAAGGHHH- HAHAHAHA! GEET OUT NOOWW! GOD DAAMN YOOU AALLLL!" Jeyluxhal fell back against the wall and crawled to the right side over behind, taking out a pair of extremely dangerous huolonchushui cannons made from bamboo and armed with a gunpowder filled head of a Chinese Dragon on the front

"Excuse me, where did you'd find those?" Kukuza asked in confusion

"Oh please don't..." Jasiri's ears drooped

"Don't do this Jey..." Madoa looked down

The hyena did not want to deal with her again and activated the cannons, firing them into the air as they launched without a second to delay; exploding in the air which made the three of them flinch. Now standing against the trio he threw the two spent bamboo tubes against the far left where Kukuza stood, hitting her hard as he collapsed on the ground again and crawled away; stumbling and running back into the narrow crack where he ran away without giving Wema and Tunu a idea of what the hell was going on. The calls of madness still shrieked out there, repeatedly saying "No!" when translated as Jeyluxhal was too enraged to use his facial expressions to express his unexpected fruitless attempts to tell her to get the hell out. Jasiri turned to face Kukuza to tell her: "I didn't think he would- just wait there, I'm gonna go after him; Wema and Tunu must've been horrified from what they heard back there" She ran after the hyena who had a meltdown while Madoa went to check up on the two

Jasiri found him at the makeshift Native American wigwam tent that was built into the crack that led outside, the door was made of bamboo sticks that were formed as she knocked. "Jeyluxhal? Open the door, it's just me alone and Madoa stayed behind to check on Wema and Tunu; she thinks you've scared them but they don't know what's happening"

The door was opened as she was taken inside the wigwam as he didn't turn to face her until he was fully indepth within the shadows, his facial expression demanding to know how did she find him here? "She wanted to spend some time with you and she seemed really upset"

Jeyluxhal's face bared his fangs and questioned her on why they revealed him to her, Jasiri told him back: "She wants to make you and your father happy like she said" The hyena's next facial expression glowered with a nasty scowl, fangs bared moreso than previously and with his inner rage becoming more refined. Translating to: "What makes you think that BEAST would make me or my father happy?!"

"She told us that your father sent her to find and reunite so she can get to know you better, saying that times have been rough without your mother; she wants to be like her to make it up to you and hope you can accept-" She was interrupted when Jeyluxhal further yelled in a furious outcry that had him collapse on the ground atop his knees

Madoa finished explaining to Wema and Tunu about what happened before telling them to wait with Kukuza until she returns, she's going after her sister which she eventually reached the wigwam tent where the two seemed to be arguing. "Calm down!" She cried but Jeyluxhal only gave a violent expression that told her he's not going out there while she has the rights to exist in the Outlands, removing her from the Circle of Life and stripping her of humanity. She entered inside as she looked around

"Where is he?"

"In the back holding himself in pain from the... boils and rashes on his skin?"

Jeyluxhal wanted Najira right here close to him as he just sniffled, that monstress ruined him just because he's the son of a rogue hyena who defied an clan he didn't want to live in; he's a coldskinned, back-n-forth rocking and sweating while he sniffled and made sudden booming breathes like a heartbeat slow but audible. After awhile he stood up and made them know as he gave his expression that they don't know what they've done, claiming that monstress was poisoning him from the inside. Stepping into the sunlight to reveal his blisters, rashes and an new addition to the misery she caused him: popped blood sacks that were bleeding down his body and fever induced skin

"What happened to you?"

"She's a sweet lady, that woman didn't do anything to you"

Jeyluxhal's expression told them otherwise as though the two apologized and offered to atone for bringing that devil back into his life by telling her to leave, that was when bloodlust began to foam out of his mouth; breathing sporadically in between and shortening his heaves with his breathes. Rumbling growls and harsh snarling in his throat were made present to the two sisters, he gave them a face that told them both that she is not leaving. He explained that Bunga brought her to him and his father as if to make us happy seeing that we have no loving mate, once he saw the true colors behind the facade and discovered the truth; he wanted her out but she was relentless and refused

She wants to mate with him, so she can have a child and be recognized as being married to a hero known to the hyenas like him; he doesn't want a sibling that will be spoiled so rotten to the core that he would shove it in his face without a end. Should he have a sibling then his relationship means less to him and to him, there is no point in seeking retribution for her because he was born as their only child; his sibling has no right to exist or be alive to aid him. Najira's death is less meaningful to him and what's worse is that she tried to FORCE him to mate with her, she's an attention whore who made it worse when that appearance that she first presented to him; was exactly what Najira looked like minus all of the motherly and all loving traits she carried. He hates everything now

He explained how he escaped her for so long but now that she's found him, she will never leave him alone to live free like the hyena whose childhood was robbed from him; he will die hard worse than the two cheetahs who were grooming him to death. This time there's nothing to save him from a fate but the only true way of staying away from her is to... but Jasiri and Madoa stopped him from going further as the two knew what he was going to say. Claiming that what he's saying is too far and the fact that he was going to commit suicide just to stay away from her would only make things worse

"Jey... you don't really mean that, what would all your friends say if you did so?" Jasiri expressed concern for him

"She would never do any of that..." Madoa nuzzled his cheek as he turned to the side away from her, not wanting to cooperate about going out there again

Just then there was a knock on the door as Kukuza's voice was heard from behind outside: "Jeyluxhal my son, are you in there?"

Inflaminating to greater degrees than before Jeyluxhal once again yelled as he backed and kicked the other door open to escape through the crack on the other side, locking the door behind to keep them from following him again. How dare she call him her son?! He jumped into the watering hole from below while she asked for him again behind the door, wanting to escape from his agony of having to be with her. The two sisters wondered if she was whom he claimed her to be just as she did the same

A little while later Jasiri and Madoa wanted to see if the claims were true as the two sisters snuck to a hidden conversation that the two had from above the cliffs, Jeyluxhal laid there from his back to watch some of his more personal favorites in his mind using his imagination to act like an VCR/DVD Player; up against the wall where he faced the west side and they were on the south side. Kukuza approached him softly but he shook her advances off

"Come on Jeyluxhal, I've got us front row seats for the Pride Lands production play based off the story of Simba and how he became king" Kukuza tried to persuade him to join her with Jeyluxhal defiantly using his facial expressions that told her: "No!"

"But we'll have so much fun together, think of me like her back in the puphood days" Kukuza tried being nice to him but Jeyluxhal smacked her paw away from him, telling her not to lay a paw on him anymore

"She seems nice though... and I know he's not a misogynist, he would never act that way with us" Jasiri looked down with concern

He's not going anywhere with her and she knows nothing about his childhood, she fails at being a foster mom because he doesn't need one; he has one and her name is Najira who will never be inferior compared to her. That was when she finally came around to prove the claims he made true. "You'll do what I tell you to do, now come with me to the play next week!" Kukuza revealed to Jasiri and Madoa her true colors, exposing her obsessively controlling side that acts like it is her who dominates both Tabari and his son's lives. She gave birth to him and she is his mother, not Najira whom she's impersonating

"Oh there we go, bring on the sympathy" Madoa commented

Kukuza had enough and held him at chokehold while Jeyluxhal fought back with her as she then shouted: "You need a haircut and so does your father becuase of your ugly mullets"

"Haircut? There's nothing wrong with resembling your parents when you grow up" Jasiri sounded rather offended at this

Jeyluxhal screamed out that he doesn't want a haircut and he's keeping his mullet to resemble his father, but Kukuza only replied with: "Did I ask what you wanted? Come here now!" The hyena refused as he struggled to fight her off, demanding that she let him go and take her god damn paws off him. She tried to force one on him but threw her off to make sure she never goes anywhere above zero whenever she tried to start

"Who forces a haircut on someone?" Madoa questioned Kukuza's methods

"If this was an actual part in the play she mentioned, it'd be more popular than anything that Zazu has to offer as entertainment to Scar back then" Jasiri commented as she shook her head having been told the story of Simba's return before

He got seriously violent with her as he started smashing rocks on her, trying to kill her but ran away before he could go on further; the two sisters withdraw from the edge as they told each other

"She is a monstress, a beast and a devil"

"What have we done to him...?"

* * *

The two sisters later confronted Kakuza about her behavior towards their friend as she's been a mean foster mother, deciding that it was best to leave him alone; however she called them out saying they had no right to snoop on their private time the two were spending alone with each other. This resulted in an arguement that had them demanding that she leaves, she's no longer welcome here but not wanting to lose her chance; she declared that she will never let him live without a motherly figure in his life. He was robbed of his childhood and she had no one to love, she was jealous of Najira because she was a better mother than her; Jasiri said so otherwise as she was just a obsessive psychopath who wanted to be recognized alongside his father. He's staying the hell away from them because of her for 30 days, but when she reveals that she can wait that long as it's not enough for him to visit them again; Jasiri mentions that the stress she caused had made him take a six month vacation out of the Pride Lands, which makes her even more determined to find him as she ran off. But there could not have been anymore bad timing on her side because where Jeyluxhal was as of now, is this place hidden out of the sight of others as he was all alone and nowhere to be found

Jeyluxhal tried soothing himself through grooming his fur but no matter where he goes in the god forsaken forest that was different from the time that he brought Fuli out of, he's inflicted with paranoia that Kukuza's near to torment him more. The last straw came when though this is a forest that is hidden out of sight of others it was not invisible to being prone of having a few visitors who looked at him, everywhere he went he was always prone to contact from all the other animals who came to enjoy this experience from the far west of the Pride Lands. He cannot get out of the other's way and he has no privacy for himself, biting himself after being watched for the tenth time. He threw his flab of skin down and stormed off sitting down near the edge to watch the sunset, hours later passing with him looking up at the moon in front of the fields; walking off but stumbling to the ground against the wall as he supported himself to imagine that he shared the same genes as Kukuza, confirmation occurred as countless lines of birth certificate officials claimed that he was her son in countless sentences and paragraphs that scrolled down

He was shaking lightly under the stress and under the weather, looking irritated with his face telling it all. The words of his father calling to him repeated in echoes: "_She never wanted you to worry of the consequences that came with the abandonment of an clan that's better off to be left in the dust where the wind blows it away... I loved her as much as the youthful pup you once were..._" Blurring backgrounds of his father's face telling him as well as a black and golden filtered image of the second sentence he told him

He closed his eyes and scrunched his face as he held the sides of his forehead with his paws, hallucinating with another pan across the inside of his den where he was born in. Once again it was blurred except for the exit that stood out the most. A sudden ringing sound was heard which he turned having a expression of inner turmoil with himself, anger building but so was unidentifiable ranges of emotions and trauma that were building up into one spontaneous and outer combustion of repressed memories that occurred on that night. He barred his fangs and inside of him, a greater mass of darkened blood like liquid that burned alight was overtaking his borders made up of cells; swirling slowly like a hurricane and cyclone that stormed. What followed was his webbings twisting themselves, constricting like vessels of blood as he was shaking more so; all those thoughts about his inner demons such as the ones he tried keeping back and suppress from others as no one would pity a hyena backfired on him, he opened the floodgates and were allowing them to overtake him. Other thoughts such as his fight with the lion came back as was the Ant-Hyena Neo Nazis trying to start a fight with him, and a blood red to white outlined version of his father killing the informant ice pigeon who told Baridi where he was

Scenes switched from taking a blood sample, to him and Fuli all the way to his mother being ripped apart before his eyes; Jasiri then told him:

"_Hey Jeyluxhal, are you there? Listen I think we screwed up big time, you were right about her and had every right to claim she was a demon who ruined your life-_"

The exit to the den rumbled as some pieces were falling off, Jeyluxhal breathing in with an scrunched face as his shaking worsened

"_-It's my fault that you're suffering because of her, I shouldn't have let her to your location. It was all a mistake from the beginning, I think she's coming after you-_"

Images of his inner blood cells flowing and slowing down before they started to set alight as some of them were filled with the same flammable mass seen before, a image of Kukuza turning away from him as she left to argue with his father; making him grunt out as he can't control himself

"_-I hope you can forgive me for what we've done to you, but we didn't know that she was as true to your words; I just though you weren't giving her the chance at all. Let me know when you're ready to come back here to make up with us, alright? Goodbye_"

Jeyluxhal's face twitched as images of his mother telling him her final words, taking him to the hidden place where Baridi can't find him to stay hidden inside and in his point of view; he's entering the darkness. He turned around to find Jasiri but she was nowhere to be found as he needs her help, the exit of the den once again rumbled as more pieces fell off which showed that Baridi was breaking in to take him. He lowered his head with his head full of pain and intensifying to the extreme, a image of his bleeding paws from his point of view as well as series of flashes finally made him break as he was showed in sweat at this point

He snarled as he looked up with a facial expression that needed no words to explain how angry he was feeling right now: "Drauggh... NRRRAAAUGGHHH!" He roared as he slowly turned around, moving out to find a exit so he can leave the forest; he is not feeling too well and it shows as he could feel some sort of boiling liquid that was churning inside of his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up as his throat was burning like acid, he had to get out of here as soon as possible

He exited from the area he was in with no idea where to go next, he needed to find Jasiri and- no; he needed to find his father as he knows about the feelings he kept from all the others from knowing but him. His way in expressing himself has never been the easy way in understanding what he is saying. All of that frustration that formed from his megalomania of overwhelming jealousy and sorrowful rage about his adoptive mother telling him that he was too old for him to love, his passionate lust drive that poisoned him and the struggle between the fits of anxiety to embarrassment to inner rage from discrimination; humiliation before all others after he rightfully defended himself and bombardments of threats from Anti-Hyena Neo Nazi prejudice groups of animals. Everything has begun to break out of the suppressants he used in holding them back mentally, he walked over to the corner and peered out from the side to find what looked like a sign of his father closeby

Power walking over to the end he found no sign of his father that he needed to see and talk to right now, making it worse as there was no shortcut to the exit closeby to his location and it was dark outside in the night. Illuminated only by the moonlight and the stars that gave off specs of light down to his shrouded area. He started to take a piss as he turned back, hitting his knee against the hard rock and slipping on the ground while he held onto the tree with his paws; marking the territory underneath him as it burned when doing so, all because he held it in for a long time. But it was his knee that hurt more as he just curled into himself while he stood, struggling as he saw a image of his mother's face before being consumed by multiple cells formed by those same darkened blood like liquid that burned alight; swarming his point of view from all sides until it faded. That was when what he felt like a transformation began as it started with the feeling of his bones crunching, sounds of pain followed in response to this: "NERRUUGHH... AAAAHHHHHRRUUUGGGHHH!" His necklace of rib bones broke off and fell to the floor while he threw himself to the other side, feeling his fangs were extending and thickening themselves; his jaws were not prepared to handle this pain before

These were all hallucinations caused by his build up of repressed trauma that as mentioned before had the nastiest recoil that backfired on him, he could feel the shift in his bones that made him lose his abilities that made him who he is; it's as though that he's entering back to an primal state that stripped him of what the other animals have, relying on nothing but just his instincts. He was truly like a beast that was under the control of his enemies, his will was out of his reach and he was trapped in this feral side. But everyone knows that he just doesn't know how to deal with this amount of build up inside of him, this is all in his head and to him he's acting on what he thinks he would be like. He resorted to destroying all in his path as he can't let out the fury in him, foaming at the mouth and having a tsunami of slobber become a waterfall out from his lower lips; he was starting to have that drowsy like face again but this time it was more about his lack of distinguishing what is reality and what are hallucinations he's been clouded with

Three hours passed on during this experience of what it feels like to enter a primal state of being, acting like an true beast with no sense of bearing the thought of repressed tramua to the fullest; it was started to wear off on him as he displayed this behavior when he fought that lion from before but unlike him this was driven by and only by repressed trauma that built up inside of him. Stress, anxiety, embarrassment, rage, frustration and agony have all done this to him

He stopped in his tracks upon reaching what looked like to be the exit for him, doused in water to rid himself of the scents that the animals might trace back to him as well as cleaning himself of the smells that Kukuza caused such as sweat and grease. He was overcome with it all that manifested itself into a state that demanded revenge on her, just as the sound of a bark peeling caught his attention; looking overhead through his bangs to find that she peaked out from the side to see him in this primal state. That expression was not the ones she used against him and his father from before, she looked remorseful about what she did; but it was just a ruse to him, there's no difference between what she feels

He slowly approached her just as she retracted a bit but fully came out to face him alone, she started to tell him that she regrets everything that she's ever done to ruin him; wanting to be a real mother and to give her a chance like what Bunga said. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as he chose to pretend that he was in his primal state as of to this hour, calmed for now but telling her that he still refuses to have her as a mother figure. Najira cannot be replaced, the two of them know what she wants and there's no saying that they're misinterpreting what her words meant. He will not be derailed from her will until Baridi is dead, he hasn't show his face in an number of years but he cannot hide forever; he will come out to show himself and her spirit will rest while the two of them can move on

Laying a paw on his face while removing the false coat off herself, he was taken back to the times when he played with his mother whenever his father was out; continuing to breathe a little more stably as Kukuza further embraced the feeling of raising him. Jeyluxhal heard the voice of his real mother as it was about the time that Tabari revealed to her about the injuries his bullies inflicted on him, the sounds began to fade as he returned to his point of view from his right eye; he became infuriated once more and grunted which startled Kukuza, throwing her back before he riled himself up. He let out a smaller growling snarl before he leapt onto her, fully roaring out into the sky as he began to rip her apart in the same way that Baridi did; tearing her from limb to limb before running away and springing on the ground into little but powerful jumps. What remained of Kukuza was the paint she applied to make herself look as if she was Najira, which was what she looked like the first time he met her; oh and she had a few more seconds of life before fading peacefully. She accepts her place before a rock was thrown to smash her face so she can shut up forever

Leaving at night he started to let his mind wonder and imagine that he was accompanied by a pal that he could hang out with, as our featured guest in this tale came from a realm known as the Boiling Isles so let us introduce one of our greatest and funniest sidekicks that Jeyluxhal can't help but laugh with:

He was a canine creature that had mostly dark liorice black to charcoal grey color to his fur but his underbelly to the tip of his tail was covered in a lighter fog to dove grey; three fingers and two toes that excluding his thumbs were white claws. His mouth does not open except when he's eating, showing off his giraffe blackish purple tongue. He wore a darkblood red collar as that mix consisted of a very dark crimson and a very deep maroon red color, with a golden tag that was round on the middle; having a bumblebee yellow color to his eyes and black scleras. The main highlight of him was his buffalo like skull he wore on his head whose horn is broken but also splintered upwards on the top side, V-shape black nostril on the front and two fangs on either side close to the inverted triangular snout; two round flat teeth followed the sides of the fangs. Finally, he imagined him as his buddy to tell what him what he's dealing with now; having the tag of the front name him: "King" as he was different from the original one himself as if it's not obvious enough (A/N: The original featured guest was supposed to be Kaa, but he'll come through one of these chapters)

Now that he's happy and thankful for the fact that the worthless bitch had understood that she needs to bite the dust right now, he can come back to living in his den as Jasiri and her sister Madoa understood her true nature; though he doesn't feel like he should see her for awhile. He hasn't felt so much power after unleashing his primal berserker like stance, it's as if he... actually liked it

He... liked being in his primal berserker like stance, that's not a good sign for what's coming to one of their days out with each other


End file.
